Kidderminster Harriers Supporters Team

The Harriers supporters team made the trip north on a sunny bank holiday Sunday to take on the supporters of League One Tranmere Rovers. A couple of absentees from the original named squad including the missing Rob Hart and Chinese plagued striking maverick otherwise known as Andrew Coffield did not make the trip. Fans team stalwart and prolific night out enthusiast Adam Matthews was drafted in to take the numbers of the travelling Harriers to 16.

Arriving at the plush surrounding of the Mersey Clipper, the team got a chance to take in the sights and sounds of the Prenton locality before making the short journey to the ground. Once inside the players took the opportunity to take in the atmosphere and take the chance to have various photo ops. The lads all looking smart in their assembled suited attire.

Harriers started with the ever present Dave Ackerley in goal with a back four consisting of Mav Connolly, Ollie Sewell, Dave Williams and Mike Peplow. The midfield bank of four was made up of Sean Merryweather, Dave Goode, Mark Young and Adam Matthews. Striker partnership of Dave Greaves and Skipper for the day Dave Pountney completed the Harriers starting eleven. This left a strong bench of John Wenham, Ash Jarvis, Ben Grazier, Rich Millington and Chris Lacey. Harriers lined up in Yellow and Blue and Tranmere in their familiar White.

Harriers started brightly with winger Matthews seeing a lot of the ball, nearly emulating his famous wing maestro namesake on a couple of occasions with some searching crosses. Harriers seemed to start the brightest but without showing a cutting edge and not putting enough pressure onto the Tranmere keeper who was not utterly convincing between the sticks. Harriers could not find that final touch to take the advantage and fell behind to a strike just before the half hour mark which rung the bell for 5 changes. The first attack after the subs were made saw Dave Greaves float a tempting ball to the far post where Jarvis shook his defender and calmly slotted past the advancing keeper to give Harriers what they deserved. 1-1 took it into Half Time.

Harriers started sluggishly after the break and gifted far too much possession to the lively Tranmere midfield although Ben ‘Claude Makelele’ Grazier was continuing to work hard in the centre of the park and found himself blocking near enough every attack that Tranmere tried to create through the centre of the park. Tranmere found most of their attacking fortune down the left side of the field with their winger swinging his decent left peg to good effect.

Tranmere went 2-1 up with an effort from outside the Harriers area that looped over Ackerleys head leaving the keeper flat footed. This heralded more changes as Young replaced Ackerley in goal to note but one. Taking nothing away from the regular’s performance as he commanded his area and showed great heart and bravery diving at striker’s feet to recover lost balls throughout the game.

Harriers deservedly pulled back level thanks to a cutting ball cross pitch that Millington aptly controlled and took his man out of the game and then used his sleuth like ability to ghost past another defender before scything the Tranmere defence apart for skipper Pountney to scissor kick his way into the Fans Team Folklore to celebrate in Forest Green Type scenes. The game finished 2 a piece which was a fair reflection on both teams.

Team : Dave Ackerley, Mark Young, Dave Williams, Ollie Sewell, Mark Connolly, Richard Millington, Mike Peplow, Ash Jarvis, Ben Grazier, Sean Merryweather, David Goode, John Wenham, Dave Pountney, Dave Greaves, Chris Lacey and Adam Matthews.

Man of the match - Sean Merryweather

Report by Chris Lacey

More pictures from the day coutesy of Alex Caswell are here