Recap: Alfreton 0-2 Harriers

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HARRIERS secured a fully deserved 2-0 win at Alfreton Town on Saturday thanks to goals from Riess McNally and Amari Morgan-Smith.

On a day when Harriers needed to dig in and produce to get their league form back into a rhythm, the boys ticked all the boxes in a challenging afternoon at the Impact Arena.

Past 1pm it looked as though the game might not even go ahead, so tough were the conditions on the pitch, the setting not aided by persistent albeit light rain and a biting chill.

Come kick off, though, none of that mattered. Harriers were always in control and, crucially, always looked a threat, Jake Askew between the sticks called into action as early as the 13th minute when Zak Brown arrowed a 22-yard effort at the target that the stopper flew across goal to tip aside.

Adam Anson fired off target for the home side, before Amari Morgan-Smith had a goal ruled out for offside at the other end. Thankfully, the Reds didn’t have to wait much longer than that for their breakthrough. With 36 on the clock, a dangerous Caleb Richards corner deflected to the feet of Reiss McNally who fired the ball home from close range.

With arguably the best home chance of the day, Adam Lund came close on 41 minutes to an equaliser, but skewed an effort high of Dibble and the target.

Not content to sit on a slender lead in the second half, Harriers utilisied the breakaway superbly and could easily have racked up a high score with numerous snatchings of the ball in midfield. From the first, Hemmings strode forward and drew Askew before firing a shot that was parried away.

On 64 minutes it was Hemmings again at the point of another break. He advanced to the edge of the area but again lifted just over the target.

The Harriers No.10 had two more bites of the cherry in as many minutes, flashing one effort across the face of goal with one before beating Askew but clipping the post with the second.

The constant pressure being applied to the Alfreton goal finally told again on 77 minutes when an advancing Maz Kouhyar was tripped on the edge of the area to the award of a penalty that, after a long delay, Morgan-Smith smashed into  the net.

Harriers defended well enough to repel any attacks away from their final third, Christian Dibble not forced into meaningful save all afternoon. His opposite number Askew did have one, last important save to make as he tipped over  Jim Kellermann drive with 88 minutes gone.

Get full team line-ups and key match facts at The Match Centre

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