Harriers inflict
COUNTY slipped to their first league defeat in three months with a 2-0 loss at title-challenging Kidderminster at Aggborough on Saturday.
Goals either side of the interval by Arthur Gnahoua and Elton Ngwatala punished The Hatters, as the clinical Harriers took advantage of County’s wastefulness in front of goal despite creating a string of chances.
Jim Gannon opted for a variation on a 3-5-2, with Courtney Meppen-Walters being given the nod to start, initially as a third centre-half alongside the usual partnership of Michael Clarke and Chris Smalley. Skipper Mark Ross returned in place of the rested Sam Minihan, who was suffering from fatigue after an exhausting performance in last week’s 2-1 win over FC United.
Young midfielder Elliot Osborne’s recall from his Hatters loan spell by parent club Fleetwood Town meant a start for the match-winner in that win over FC, with Scott Duxbury starting in a more advanced midfield role.
There were four changes in total for Gannon, with striker Sefton Gonzales replacing Josh Amis after a promising cameo at Edgeley Park the week prior.
It was the lively Gonzales who was the mastermind behind County’s first chance after just eight minutes, with the powerful forward bursting through the Harriers midfield to tee up Danny Lloyd – with County’s top goalscorer striking the foot of the home side’s upright from close range.
Lloyd saw a half-volley on the turn palmed away by ‘keeper Palmer minutes later after another Gonzales flick-on, before the advancing full-back Ross flicked an effort wide.
Kidderminster, aiming for their eleventh home win on the bounce, did step up their game after County’s early onslaught – perhaps reflected by Gannon’s decision to move Meppen-Walters up into midfield alongside anchor man Lewis Montrose midway through the opening half.
After Tyrell Waite had curled an effort wide of Ben Hinchliffe’s goal, it was County who proved to be the architects of their own downfall on the stroke of half-time.
Hinchliffe’s clearance was poor and skewed into the centre of midfield, with Waite collecting and going long with a rather aimless ball back towards Hinchliffe’s goal.
But, as the ball bobbled back towards goal, Clarke and Hinchliffe got their wires crossed and both left the ball for one another – leaving the pacey Gnahoua to nick in between the duo and bundle the ball home.
In a somewhat daunting trip to the side’s most in-form home side, it was a sickening end to the half for The Hatters – who did, to their credit, bounce back after the interval to apply the pressure to their hosts.
Target man Josh Amis replaced the tiring Meppen-Walters just after the break, with County utilising both of their big forwards up top in the shape of Amis and Gonzales.
Kidderminster boss John Eustace later remarked that few sides had gone to Aggborough and threatened as much as County did after the interval – with Gonzales seeing his one-on-one effort tipped away by Palmer, before Amis saw his strike from inside the area roll agonisingly wide of the upright.
But, in another hugely costly defensive lapse, Gnahoua was allowed far too much space to skip past Ross with just under fifteen minutes on the clock – and the first half goalscorer crossed onto the head of the waiting,