Kidderminster Harriers Youth 1(0) v (1)2 Sutton Coldfield Town Youth

Harriers saw their slim hopes of taking the League title almost completely extinguished after they were beaten at Aggborough by leaders Sutton Coldfield.  Harriers are now 11 points behind the leaders with just four games remaining and Sutton have a game in hand.

The visitors dominated the early part of the game and in the first few minutes almost took the lead twice from dangerous corners from Craig Owen that curled right in to the goalmouth, Steve Parker did well to take the first, the second curled just wide of the far post.  It was all Sutton in the first half, Owen was involved again midway through the half, his pass setting Mark Maloney clear on goal but he snatched at his attempted lob and it went wide.  Soon after Harriers had their first decent chance, a free kick, Scott Eaton's 25-yard shot beat the wall and was tipped onto the bar and away for a corner by Tony Breedon.

Sutton took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Shaun Findlay's pass found Sean Welsh on the left and he drilled a low shot under Parker at the near post.  They could have doubled the advantage soon afterwards when Matty Dodd broke away on the right, his low cross found Rencher in the middle of the penalty area but his shot was excellently saved by Parker and Harriers were able to clear.  Eaton went close again with another free kick, this one from closer in, that beat the wall and was heading for the top corner until Breedon managed to claw it away.  In the last minute of the half Eaton, again, had a good opportunity but his long-range shot went over the bar.

After the break Harriers were better and in the early stages went close to getting back into the game; substitute Stephen Thompson had shot blocked, his follow-up shot was saved and then the second follow-up, by fellow sub Daniel Ludlow, hit the side netting.  Just as Harriers were looking to get back into the game the visitors doubled their lead;   Leigh Clayton fouled Rencher just outside the penalty area and Adam Robinson curled the free kick over the wall and into the far corner.

Harriers were given a lifeline fifteen minutes from the end, Robinson turned from Hero to Zero when he brought down Thompson in the penalty area; Thompson himself took the penalty and sent Breedon the wrong way.  The game came to life now with both teams looking to win and it was played more like a cup tie; most of the players' energy, however, went into a series of heavy and niggly tackles rather than good football - three players found their names in the referee's notebook in the closing stages.  Harriers pressed hard but never really threatened an equaliser and deep into stoppage time could have fallen further behind when Findlay curled a free kick wide of the near post.