HARRIERS chopped three points off the gap between themselves and the Nationwide Conference play-off spots with a battling win over Halifax Town at Aggborough.
Match Summary
Saturday's defeat to Gravesend and Northfleet and subsequent results had widened the gap to some eleven points, leaving Harriers' play-off hopes in last chance saloon.
And whilst Mark Yates and his men have it all to do to claw back the rest of the deficit, there are still plenty of games left in which to do it and plenty of points to be won, only three of which could have been had tonight so with maximum return from Aggborough this evening you'd have to consider it a job well done.
It wasn't a vintage Harriers performance, the hosts certainly weren't at the their best but in the last 25 minutes or so, they could have at least trebled the lead given to them through Ryan Toulson's 31st minute own goal, only for an inspired Craig Mawson to deny them time after time.
For the first hour or so Harriers were distinctly average but with so much creativity shown in latter part of this match it's clear to see why Yates still fancies his troops to re-produce their recent strong form to push themselves nearer the top five.
Harriers' next league action comes with the small matter of a trip to Oxford United's Kassam Stadium next Tuesday night (7:45pm), but before then, you might just be aware that there's an FA Trophy Semi-Final going on at Aggborough. See you there? - Thought so!
Match Report
Chris Wilder's town side seemed determined form the off to make up for their second-half capitulation at Aggborough some ten days ago by getting a result tonight and they made the better of the early moves inside the first 20 minutes, Tom Kearney's volley over the bar was wasteful of their good build-up play though.
Just after the hour mark, what's been, in fairness to Halifax a luckless season for them, got even worse as TOULSON found Constable's deadly cross into the box too hot to deal with, and hastily headed the ball past a helpless Mawson to send his team behind.
That's as memorable as the first half got but the second period may have been more eventful for the visitors had Danny Forrest cross the ball to a waiting team mate rather than going for glory and shooting high and wide.
The hosts had two good chances in quick succession with Mark Creighton and Gavin Hurren both going close to doubling the advantage from corner-kicks, before Michael Blackwood must surely have thought he'd done just that with 77 on the clock.
He latched onto a great ball from Russell by rushing in at the far post with a header, how Mawson had time to even see it, let alone save it is anyone's guess, the same could be said as he denied the same player three minutes later and substitute Luke Reynolds eight minutes from time.
It may have taken a while for Harriers to click like we know they can, but they're good to watch in full flow and only Mawson's late heroics stopped the boys from improving their goal difference.
Harriers: Bevan, Kenna, Creighton, Whitehead, Harkness, Hurren (Sedgemore 76), Penn, Russell, Blackwood, Christie (Reynolds 60), Constable (White 88).
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Smikle.
Halifax: Mawson, Haslam, Toulson, Wright, Doughty, Uhlenbeek (Parke 79), Thompson, Kearney, Torpey (Bastians 63), Forrest, Smeltz.
Subs Not Used: Butler, Billy, Jacobs.
Attendance: 1,203 (41 away fans)
Referee: Russell Fletcher (Derbyshire).
