Kidderminster Harriers Supporters Team

A glorious spring day in the glamorous surroundings of Kidderminster was the day that every player connected to the Kidderminster Harriers Fans Team had looked forward to with a sense of pant wetting anticipation. Of course the chance to play at Tranmere's Prenton Park the Sunday previous had been a welcome surprise as had the inside decor of the Mersey Clipper as the outside had portrayed it to be the pub double of the boozer in Shameless.

Gaffer Pountney had decreed that midday would be the collective meeting point and the dress code for the day would be smart casual, something which had been taken seriously by the lads with only Harty turning up looking like an extra from Byker Grove. The first game was against a team to which we have had very close encounters with in the past, Oxford United. Affectionately known as Raging Fever FC.

Harriers Fans Team 3 Oxford Supporters Team (Raging Fever FC) 4

It fell to the author to warm the troops up and in Williams-esque fashion the troops were put through their pre match paces in what was turning out to be Blackpool like temperatures out on the pitch. It must also be said that the pitch was in a fantastic condition which the lads hoped to grace with their array of skills later on in the day.

The team was named as follows for the first game: Mark Young (capt), an experienced back four consisting of Rob ‘The Motivator’ Hart, Mav, Lacey and Simon Jarosinski...the latter only gaining international clearance hours before the game was to take place. The midfield was graced with the presence of KHFC Manager Mark Yates who lined up in the centre of the park with Tom Sharland, and they were flanked by John Wenham and Adam Matthews. Up top were Paul Taylor and Andrew Gray. The bench consisted of Wayne Allen, Ollie Sewell, Jon Smith, Alex Owen, Tom Hudson and Andrew Coffield.

Harriers lined up in Yellow and Blue with the visitors lining up in all blue. Harriers started the livelier of the two teams with Yates controlling the game without ever moving more than 10 yards from the centre circle. Wenham and Adam ‘Stanley’ Matthews on either flank were starting to put pressure onto the Oxford back four with some neat inter play between the midfield and the strikers.

Paul Taylor opened the scoring for the Harriers after some good team play where there were a good number of passes strung together before the killer ball was expertly played back to Taylor by Gray who listened well to hear the call for the man from the Stourbridge Mafia to tuck the ball away. Oxford then came out of their shells some more and started to excerpt some more pressure onto the Harriers defence with it culminating in a heavy tackle from Right Back Hart to gift Oxford an in road back into the game, the gift was duly accepted. Oxford went on to score three other goals during the game to which the author has barely any recognition of due to his misspent Saturday night reliving the 80s in a well known drinking establishment in Birmingham City Centre.

Changes were made at the usual intervals of half an hour and 15 minutes into the second half with every player who pulled on the yellow during the afternoon putting 110% into their efforts. Harrier’s manager Yates popped up to score at the town end with a rare venture from the centre circle but no back of the net, net grabbing celebrations were in evidence this time. The highlight of the game came when captain for the day Mark Young was bundled over in the box to earn the Harriers a penalty late on in the game. The chorus from the adoring public in the stands as to who they wanted to see take the penalty was almost deafening. And as if right on cue mercurial Chinese plagued striking genius Andrew Coffield strode majestically to the spot 12 yards from glory. The anticipation and sense of achievement was evident for all connected to the Harriers. The Oxford keeper did his best to psych out the un-psych able Coffield who laughs in the face of danger (But not Dragon Palace). Coffield strode up like a thoroughbred race horse gleaming in the Aggborough sunshine to dispatch his penalty past a helpless keeper. Coffield celebrated as though a weight had been lifted from his tired shoulders and the roar from the faithful showed that Dragon Palace may have won the battle but Coffield had definitely won the war.

Harriers battled right to the end to gain that equalizing goal but alas it was not to be with the final whistle bringing to an end yet another tight game between the two sets of supporters. Man of the Match was given to Mark Connolly who ended a fine season with the fans team by producing yet another strong display in the heart of the Harriers back line.

Team : Mark Young, Wayne Allen, Rob Hart, Chris Lacey, Ollie Sewell, Alex Owen, Jon Smith, Mark Connolly, Adam Matthews, Tom Sharland, Simon Jarrasinski, Andrew Gray, John Wenham, Tom Hudson, Andrew Coffield and Paul Taylor.

Man of the match - Adam Smith

Scorers - Paul Taylor, Mark Yates and Andrew Coffield.

Harriers Fans Team 1 AFC Halifax 4

The four a clock kick off saw The Harriers second team of the afternoon take the field against AFC Halifax Town. Before the football started, reading the program notes about this team of jovial northerners I was very impressed to read the tireless contributions they make to raising money for charity. I read they hope to break over £7000 at the end of June after participating in a 10k run for all event in Leeds. In times where it seems the daily news is centered on the ‘credit crunch’ and ‘professionals’ telling us to be more self centered and to only take care of ourselves at these times it is refreshing to see what is only a relatively new bunch of lads putting themselves out for others. For that you must be commended.

The Harriers lined up in Red and White and Halifax all in blue. The team was as follows: Dave Ackerley (Capt), Rich Millington, Adam Smith, Mike Peplow and Nathan Fox. Ash Jarvis, Chris Smith, Kieran McAnenay and Sean Merryweather with David Pountney and Pete Lewis up front. Steve Bird and Ben Grazier were the two to start on the bench later to be joined by Dave Williams, David Goode and David Greaves.

Harriers never really got going in the cloudy conditions as Halifax seemed to be more pumped up for the game and this showed as they strung together a number of good passing moves. The Harriers goal came from good combination work between Pountney and Lewis as the two Harriers stalwarts played well upfront. The game meandered and never really got going and players like Jarvis, Smith and Grazier did not see enough of the ball to make as much impact as people know they can. Harriers did however fight until the final whistle but ran out of gas at times.

Regardless of the results, a good day was had by all and a total of £1000 was raised for KHFC.

Team : Dave Ackerley, Dave Williams, Richard Millington, Mike Peplow, Ash Jarvis, Ben Grazier, Sean Merryweather, David Goode, Dave Pountney, Dave Greaves, Steve Bird, Adam Smith, Kieran McAnenay, Pete Lewis, Chris Smith and Nathan Fox.

Man of the match - Adam Smith

Scorer - Pete Lewis

Report by Chris Lacey

Pictures courtesy of Richard Millington and Keith Jones

Further pictures from the day are available to view HERE