Recap: Harriers 2-1 Leek

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HARRIERS made it through to the Third Qualifying Round thanks to a dramatic injury-time win over Leek Town at Aggborough.

1-0 down at the break, Amari Morgan-Smith notched a 78th minute leveller before going on to win the tie in the third minute of added time.

The two sides traded half chances early, with Christian Dibble saving from Leek’s Okome, before Zak Brown had a chance held by goalkeeper Dino Visser.

Brown was inventive in fashioning a finish in the tenth minute, his shot scrambled behind by Visser for a corner that Tope Obadeyi headed over the bar.

There was a blow for Harriers midway through the half when debutant defender George Cooper was forced off through injury, Weir for Leek going close seven minutes later with a snap-shot over the bar.

The home side did up the ante in spells and, past the half hour, there two big chances for them to take the lead. First, Jack Lambert’s rising rocket of an effort crashed back off the woodwork from 18 yards, before Joe Foulkes had a goalbound effort cleared off the line.

Having withstood those efforts, Leek took the lead on 41 minutes, Alex Hurst’s looping effort dropping beyond everybody in red and into the net.

One of the closest Harriers efforts of the game came seconds later the other end, Obadeyi getting in another thumping header that shaved the bar before landing on top of the net.

Three minutes after the restart, Morgan-Smith drove with venom towards Visser’s target, the custodian saving well, Foulkes then seeing another effort blocked on the line as the Reds searched for a route back to parity.

Reece Devine almost marked his first start for the club with a goal on 67 minutes, his dipping effort heading towards the bottom corner before Visser did the necessaries. He ensured his team were level ten minutes later, though, supplying a delightful cross that Morgan-Smith met with a finish back across Visser and into the net.

Harriers, then, were always in the ascendancy, and Luke Summerfield struck an 80th minute free kick with almost pinpoint accuracy, the effort flying over the angle of bar and post with an inch to spare.

Seb Thompson headed on to the pitch with 86 minutes gone and, in injury time, he thought he’d won the tie for his team with a headed effort, but the goal was ruled out due to an apparent foul.

Seconds later, though, the turnaround was complete. In a very rare defensive lapse, a header back to Visser fell far too short, leaving Morgan-Smith in a flat face he won with ease, holding off his man before poking the ball under the goalkeeper and finding the net.

Get full team line-ups and key match facts at the Match Centre….

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