Recap: Harriers 2-1 Halesowen

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HARRIERS secured passage through to the Third Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy with a 2-1 win over Halesowen at Aggborough. 

Kobe Hall’s first professional career goal came at the ideal time for Phil Brown’s men as they came from behind against the Yeltz to cap a genuine derby day at Aggborough.

In driving rain, with chances at both ends, two sets of noisy crowds totalling a crowd of close to 4,000, it was a Trophy tie unlikely to be matched in many respects this season.

Ashley Hemmings lifted over the first Harriers chance of the day on six minutes, before the Halesowen opener. A back-pass to Christian Dibble proved too short and, outnumbered, Dibble managed to reach the ball but ultimately was helpless to prevent Ponticelli from steering it wide of him and into the net.

Morgan-Smith headed off target a quarter-hour later before Harriers pulled themselves level; Halesowen unable to clear a Caleb Richards ball into the area, Reece Devine on hand to fire it home and score the goal he’s been threatening for the last few weeks.

Devine then wide with another effort minutes later before unfortunately being withdrawn through injury – the first of a double blow on that for Harriers with Tope Obadeyi also coming off with an issue shortly after half time.

Before the break, though, there were further chances at both ends. Obadeyi and Morgan-Smith both headed off target from similar positions, before Ponticelli and everyone else in blue thought he’d done enough to put the Yeltz back in front, driving across Dibble and, he thought, into the net. The goalkeeper had, however, got the faintest of touches to send the ball on to the post and back into his grasp.

Sub Seb Thompson, on 54 minutes, hit a driving, swerving effort at goal that thumped off the upright, David Davis shortly after volleying over the target.

Four minutes later, the adventurous and threatening Thompson was on the counter, sliding the ball across the area to sub Hall who mis-cued his connection slightly and hit off target, Platt in goal saving smartly from Hemmings ten minutes later.

Harriers really then turned the screw. Twice they had efforts cleared off the line and, with just 12 left to play, Hall forced Platt into a neat stop to block his firm, angled effort after smart first touch.

Into added time, though, Hall would not be denied. Thompson had lofted in a peach of a delivery that he rose brilliantly to meet, his header blocked almost on the line by a superbly reactive Platt, only for the ball to fall back to Hall within half a second who, in turn, showed his own great reactions to smash it home.

Seconds later Hall might even have raced through to make it 3-1 but wisely opted for the corner instead.

Get full team news and key match facts at The Match Centre.

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