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Recap: Harriers 1-2 Curzon Ashton

Key moments from Tuesday night’s defeat at Aggborough….

By Matty Paddock - 17/08/2022

Posted 3 years ago

Harriers against Curzon Ashton. Pic (C) Ade Hoskins

HARRIERS fell to a first defeat of the season on Tuesday night as Curzon Ashton notched a 2-1 win.

It was conversely Curzon’s first win of the campaign at the third time of asking as they tasted success thanks to a goal in each half.

They netted with their only two chances of the night but, in truth, Harriers equally only had a serious 15-minute spell near the end of the game to show for their night’s work.

A quiet first half that saw Curzon defend solidly got its first goal on 25 minutes and it went their way – Will Hayhurst left in too much space at the far post to fire a composed finish past Tom Palmer after a cross made it along the penalty area.

Three minutes later, Harriers forced visiting goalkeeper Chris Renshaw into his first save of the night as Nat Knight-Percival headed towards the target. The Reds should have worked Renshaw ten minutes later as a fine counter saw Ceesay played through on goal, only to miscue his contact with the ball.

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Tom Owen-Evans went mightily close to notching for the first this season just four minutes before the break, but his angled effort dragged wide of the far post.

Curiously and frustratingly, the second half was equally as slow to get going as the first – it again took a Curzon goal to shake the game into life from the hosts perspective, as a whipped ball into the area was planted home by Devon Matthews from 12 yards.

Ethan Freemantle’s header soars into the net. Pic (C) Ade Hoskins

That came on 68 minutes and just after the introduction of Ethan Freemantle. The striker combined with fellow substitute, Gabby Rogers with 76 minutes played, diverting his cross with a header that went up and over Renshaw’s dive.

It was then very much Harriers’ game – two minutes later Hemmings went within inches of equalising only to see his low shot saved superbly by Renshaw, before Freemantle almost netted an outrageous second, hooking the ball over his shoulder and towards the top corner, the effort bouncing off the bar.