A look back at Saturday’s encounter at The Shay….
By Matty Paddock - 21/10/2023
Posted 2 years ago
HARRIERS lost by the odd goal in three on Saturday, going down 2-1 at FC Halifax Town.
Amari Morgan-Smith’s fourth goal of the season wasn’t enough to rescue a share of the spoils for Harriers, who conceded either side of the effort.
In the first half at The Shay and in added time at the climax, Harriers had enough chances to have won a couple of games but were ultimately left to rue not pouncing on at least a couple more of them.
The team set the tone inside the first minute. Zak Brown was teed up by Alex Penny in the area and rolled an effort agonisingly wide of the post.
Bailey Hobson and Ashley Hemmings also had good early chances; having a header held and seeing a shot wide respectively, before a great save from home goalkeeper Johnson denied Alex Penny on 24 minutes, tipping his header over the bar.
Before the half hour, Halifax were ahead with virtually their first effort of the game as Alli planted a header past Christian Dibble, but Harriers responded excellently – and quickly. First, Hemmings had an effort hook off the line, then Morgan-Smith smashed the ball home after Zak Brown had headed a Hemmings ball on to the bar.
Harriers were close to going into the break in front after a breakaway saw Hemmings slip in Brown who had a shot blocked; Halifax re-establishing their lead early after the break as Alli slotted in a second from close range.
The visitors saw their enthusiasm dented slightly by the second goal, but regrouped to rally again inside the final quarter-hour, Brown’s rising shot needing another smart save from Johnson.
With ten left, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain was played in at a short corner and arrowed a shot towards goal that Johnson parried, the Shaymen’s skipper then thwarting Hobson as he charged towards goal and shot.
Deep into added time, Alex Penny rose in the area to meet a ball from an advanced Dibble, but Johnson again threw himself at it to claim it.
Harriers and their 150 fans threw absolutely everything at it, but came away empty handed – the hosts proving accurate to a deadly degree in scoring from pretty much all of their chances to claim all three points.
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