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First Team

Kidderminster: Report

Posted by Kelly Gilchrist
Posted on Sat 26 Apr 2014
Posted in First Team
FC Halifax Town secured fifth place in the Skrill Premier with a 1-1 draw against Kidderminster.
Josh Wilsonโ€™s goal in the first minute was cancelled out by Nathan Blissettโ€™s 30th minute header, which proved to be the final regular season goal at The Shay.
ย The result well and truly confirmed Townโ€™s position in the top five and a clash with Cambridge in the play-offs as a result.
Neil Aspin made several changes with one eye firmly set on the play-offs, with Lee Gregory, Paul Marshall and James Bolton all being rested.
Yet it took the Shaymen just sixty seconds to take the lead. Adam Smith, a prominent threat down The Shayโ€™s right flank throughout the season, dinked the ball onto the head of Wilson at the back post and he neatly slotted home from close range. The game entered somewhat of a lull thereafter, with neither side constantly threatening their opponentsโ€™ goal.
Simon Ainge and Amari Morgan-Smith exchanged chances before both teams had a goal disallowed, Morgan-Smith having a low strike ruled out for offside before an audacious 30 yard effort from Scott McManus was chalked off after Scott Spencer had fouled in the build-up to the strike.
The visitors equalised with 30 minutes on the watch. A lofted ball into the area was met first by Blissett, who guided the ball past an onrushing Matt Glennon.
It was a rare moment of note throughout the rest of the half, with Matt Pearsonโ€™s long range strike four minutes before the break the final piece of action in an otherwise forgettable half.
If the first period was a dour affair, the second was anything but as both sides went full throttle to see the regular season off in style. Neil Aspin was forced into a change at the interval, with Glennon, who seemingly took a knock in the build-up to Kidderminsterโ€™s goal, being replaced by Phil Senior.
The Shaymen attempted to exploit Kidderminster down the flanks throughout the half, with a McManus cross meeting the head of Scott Spencer early on, however he could only head straight at Danny Lewis, whilst Senior was called into action with a superb reflex save to deny Morgan-Smith before being aware to palm a Bell shot wide soon after. However, the hosts struck back with venom and were unfortunate not to take the lead when Wilson was cruelly denied a second after his scorching strike thundered off the crossbar before later being stretchered off with a nasty looking injury.
Final games of the season tend to produce some of the more memorable moments in any campaign, and in the case of the contest at The Shay, it was that of a miss of the season contender. Morgan-Smith, who had caused problems throughout the evening, found the goal at his mercy after neat play from Bell had drawn Senior from his goal, however, with time and space on his side, the forward fluffed his lines and sliced the ball harmlessly over the bar.
From then on it was Town who took the initiative, firstly through Adam Smithโ€™s swerving shot that zipped past the post before Neil Aspin introduced young starlet Dominic Marie for his Town debut.
The youngsterโ€™s arrival produced the final notable chance, after drawing a foul on the edge of the area which resulted in Marc Roberts smashing Smithโ€™s cross over the bar.
Halifax: Glennon C Smith, Lowe, Ainge, Roberts, A Smith, Pearson, Maynard, Wilson, McManus, Spencer. Subs: Senior Gregory, Marshall, Crowther, Marie.
Kidderminster: Lewis, Vaughan, Demetriou, Storer, Dunkley, Byrne, Blissett, Grimes, Verma, Morgan-Smith, Bell. Subs: Gittins, Williams, Vaughan, Oโ€™Keefe, Cieslewiscz.
Goals: Wilson (1) Blissett (30)
Attendance: 2089
Man of the match: Josh Wilson

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