Kidderminster Harriers Supporters Team

The Harriers fans team travelled to Stafford in what was to be a 70 mile round trip, only to return to Aggborough in the afternoon to watch the first team. With Freebie Williams and Messrs. Matthews and Pountney absent, Dave Goode saw it as an ideal opportunity to put his sports coaching degree to some use and run the side for the morning. After players coming and going all week, a side of 10 made its way north to Shugborough on a very crisp Saturday morning with another 3 meeting us up there.

Immediately Goode had his work cut out in his managerial debut and the term “square pegs in round holes” comes to mind. When warming up it was clear that half of his intended back four were still travelling back from Aberystwyth. But appreciating their dedication in catching the 5:12 train back to Kidderminster, Goode had to make do with the ten players he had. The starting line-up was as follows:
Ackers, Goode, Sewell, Young, Smith, Merryweather, Ebbers, Jarvis, Greaves, Stampe.

We stared with a patched up side with our 10 men, sticking Greedy Greaves up front to hold up the ball and take pressure off us. Both teams started quite well and the game flowed from end to end without any real chances being created. We were always looking stretched as players piled forward to get the elusive first goal and struggling to get back on what was a heavy sloping pitch. The first real chance came to Stafford, who will feel they were unlucky not to get a penalty out of the chance. The striker had only Ackers to beat from 8 yards and Goode got back to bundle him off the ball. Not cast iron penalty, but you see them given. Oliver Sewell, captain for the day, always looked in control in the middle of the back 3 and snuffed out most danger early in the first half.

It was a relief to see Pete Lewis join us and he came straight on down the left wing. Mill and Soupy also arrived just in time to take places on the field as Goode rang some early substitutions. Ebbers, who hasn’t finished a game for donkeys years went over on an ankle with no-one seemingly around him at the time. He revealed he had in fact tripped over in the mud and was unable to continue. Pountney will be hoping his talisman will be available again soon and not laid off for too long. The fans team started to get more of the ball and open up the defence now with a full side. On the half hour mark though, Stafford appealed for a penalty after Millington had hacked down the winger right on the edge of the box.
Ackers nearly dropped the resulting free kick as the oncoming strikers’ feet but it was bundled clear down the right wing to Goode who saw Greaves in acres 60 yards away. Finding him with an inch perfect pass, Greaves turned the defender inside in trademark style and looked to bend a curling effort into the opposite top corner. It looked in all the way but somehow, the keeper (who would have looked more at home on a darts oche) turned it over for a corner. A few more half chances followed for both teams but nothing materialised into goals. Until in the 44^th minute Harriers made the advantage of the sloping pitch count. Soupy took a long throw in to Goode who had time to chest it down, turn and loft a cross into the unmarked MERRYWEATHER 7 yards out who bought it down and volleyed it home. It was a training ground goal capped off by the midfield maestro whose play most of the time belies his 17years.

The second half started in much the same fashion, with Goode and Merryweather in centre of midfield having to watch Stafford’s dangerous number 5, it made attacking in numbers a tough ask. On 50 minutes, Greaves had a gilt edge chance that he made himself in the box. A drag back and a shift of weight onto his right foot allowed him the shot from 10 yards but he fired wide. Though not scoring and getting the second goal Harriers remained patient and continued to play the better football. However just past the hour mark, Stafford were allowed to get back into the game. The dangerous number 5 picked up the ball 40 yards out and weaved in and out of 2 harriers players when Sewell fouled him. The referee played advantage as the number 5 entered the area as he still had the ball. As he managed to get his shot off Soupy bundled him over and fouled him again. Mass confusion starts, the Referee who had had a good game, stood where the first incident took place and looked as if he was going to give the free kick 25 yards out as they gained no advantage. The Harriers players argued that he’d had his advantage as he got his shot off. The referee stated that he had been fouled, whilst still stood were the original offence took place. Only for Skipper Sewell to remark “well, it s penalty then isn’t it?” “Well....er yes it is a penalty” replied the official. Cue pandemonium. Not one Stafford player believed it was a penalty and they were all content with the free kick outside the box. However, what the ref says goes in this game and the resulting penalty was despatched with aplomb. Greedy Greaves was walking the tightrope for dissent and given his last warning.

Harriers went straight up the other end and forced a corner which Goode whipped over only for the header to hit a post. Suddenly it looked as if it could go either way as Stafford were looking for the long ball over the top, capitalising on the lack of pace in the Harriers back line. But they held out strong and a clearing header in the 79^th minute from Mark Young fell to Goode on the half way line. Goode set Greaves free down the right who twisted and turned the full back before delivering a wicked cross into the box which the debutant STAMPE headed into the roof of the net from 6yards out. Cries on the touchlines of “great goal” were heard from within the Stafford ranks. And wasn’t it just?! You don’t get many headed goals in this standard of football, but the Harriers Fans Team have always tried to play football the right way and play the ball around rather than kick as rush which could easily be favoured. All that was required to do was hold out for 10 minutes and though Stafford piled on the pressure, Harriers always looked dangerous on the break. A few last minute corners and free kicks which were to be expected were soaked up by the Harriers (including one where soupy had fouled their player and there striker said he’d seen Soupy’s stomach on Google Earth). But they held on well, especially as we were shooting up hill in the second half.

Attendance- 9 and 2 dogs
Man of the Match awarded from their Manager was awarded to Dave Goode.

Player Ratings
David “Ackers” Ackerley - 7
Richard “Chopper” Millington - 7
Mark “Mad Dog” Young - 7 (possibly an 8 for saying on the way that he’d slept with his girlfriend 6 times on holiday.....and she was there for 3 of them!!)
Oliver “Sewellio Iglesias” Sewell - 8 Captains performance
Sean “mini goody” Merryweather - 7 always comfortable on the ball, took his goal well
Chris Smith - 7 always tenacious and up for a battle whilst being classy when in possession too.
Dave Goode - 7. Gaffer for the day
Pete Lewis - 7 you know what you get with Pete. Hasn’t aged a day in the 6years I’ve been playing with him. And always enthusiastic
Ash Jarvis - 7 still a pup but potential to be a good player when he gets on the weights.
Greedy Greaves- 7 could have scored 3. Always a threat and a constant thorn in the side for defenders all morning
Jai Stampe- 7 Great debut goal, I’m sure its not the last we’ve seen of him
Mike “soupy” Peplow- 7 Loves going to ground but to be fair to him, won most things he slid in for.
Ebbers- 5. Would love to finish a game but only lasted 20minutes then disappeared till the second half. Came off injured.

Thanks to Dave Goode for the excellent match report.