Kidderminster Harriers Supporters Team

The fans team kick-started the new season for Mark Connolly's first game as permanent manager down in Cambridge.

Despite only 13 players turning up for the season's curtain raiser, Harriers drew first blood. A Dave Pountney throughball was casually finished in the bottom corner for 1-0 by Ben Grazier.

The lead was not to last however, and ironically, it was two defensive mistakes from the two Player of the Season winners from last campaign, Sir Ian Danby (the first knight to
play for the fans team after his epic tales in Barcelona) and Sean Merryweather that put Cambridge in the ascendancy to lead 2-1 at the break.

The 'boys in blue' then seemed to heed manager Connolly's half-time team talk to 'remember to enjoy their football' and equalised soon after the restart. Lawrence Freyne was recklessly hacked down in the penalty area, and Mezza atoned for his earlier mistake by coolly stroking home the penalty for the equaliser.

Shortly afterwards, Kiddy regained the lead. A cross from Ben Grazier on the left-hand side was smashed into the top corner on the edge of the six-yard box by Craig Martin for only his second ever fans team goal.

Cambridge then equalised again 10 minutes later after a spell of pressure on the Harriers back line, a corner firmly headed in, despite the best efforts of Ackers' to keep it out.

An entertaining final phase of the game then saw four goals. The brilliant Lawrence Freyne bundled home, although had the ball not trickled in, another penalty would surely have been given after Loz was chopped down by the keeper in the process.

Dave Pountney became Kiddy's 5th goalscorer for 5-3, slotting a one-on-one chance underneath the keeper in typical goalscoring fashion, and Harriers seemed home and dry.

However, in another twist to a topsy-turvy encounter, Cambridge staged a Houdini-like comeback, scoring twice in the final minutes of the game. A 20-yard belter reduced the deficit to touching distance, and they carried that momentum to equalise almost immediately after. Harriers were punished for their inability to clear the ball, and a venomous shot from just inside the area went through the net to complete the comeback for Cambridge and round off an exhilarating baptism of fire for the new season.

Match report courtesy of Sam Flory

Man of the match - Lawrence Freyne

Goalscorers - Ben Grazier, Sean Merryweather, Lawrence Freyne, Dave Pountney and Craig Martin.

Harriers team (ratings)
Dave Ackerley (6), Andy Morgan (6), Dave Pountney (7), Sean Merryweather (6), Ian Danby (7), Dave Williams (6), Craig Martin (7), Lawrence Freyne (8), Ben Grazier (7), Sam Flory (8), Mike Peplow (4), Mark Connolly (6) and Nathan Fox (6).