A look back to Saturday’s meeting at Aggborough Stadium with AFC Telford….
By Matty Paddock - 15/04/2023
Posted 3 years ago
HARRIERS picked up a fourth successive National League North win, a dominant 3-0 success against relegated AFC Telford United.
A second-minute goal from Shane Byrne had put Harriers into yet another early lead, with further goals added in the opening minutes of the second half through Krystian Pearce and Ashley Hemmings.
There were just 90 seconds or so on the clock when the Reds strode ahead. It was, as it has so often been recently, a Joe Leesley corner that Shane Byrne, lurking at the far post, coolly side-footed home.
Harriers went on to dominate the first 45 minutes and could have added to their score with Hemmings forcing goalkeeper Joe Young into an 18th minute save before Leesley did similar.
A great team move just before the half-hour almost made it 2-0 – Brown and Byrne were involved to set Hemmings free, his effort on the angle flashing just wide.
Six minutes later, Zak Brown was put through and tested Young’s reactions again, before Telford’s only real chance of the half saw Montel Gibson plant a header wide.
A blistering start to the second half really killed the game off. After Hemmings had blazed over on 48, Harriers took the lead from a corner.
It was 51 minutes in and another Leesley delivery that found Penny. His effort was parried by Young before Byrne nodded a follow-up on to the bar – in the end Pearce then reacted quickest to put the ball home at the third attempt.
At that point Telford had their best chance of the day. A corner found ex-Harrier Nathan Cameron, and his effort was kept out by a fine one-handed save from Christian Dibble.
Two minutes later it was 3-0 and game over before the hour. Hemmings, alert, robbed Telford of the ball and charged down on goal, drawing out Young before finishing confidently.
The visitors offered little by way of response and Harriers were then able to see the rest of the game out comfortably, Byrne stabbing wide with a half chance on 78 minutes.
Deep in added time, sub Jack Bearne was through on goal for Harriers, but was thwarted in his quest to make it 4-0 as Young again produced a save.
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