Below-par hosts Boro swept aside by high-flying Kidderminster Harriers
Two scrappy first half goals secured Kidderminster Harriers a 2-0 win over a disappointing Boro, as they extended their unbeaten run to ten matches, on a cold and windy afternoon in Bridlington.
A heavy, uneven pitch after several days of rain, wasn’t conducive to good football, but they played the conditions better, and were worthy winners, as Boro failed to test their keeper all game. Theo Chapman was absent after picking up a knock in training on Thursday, while the visitors gave a debut from the bench to striker Danny Waldron, on loan from Brackley Town.
Boro suffered another injury blow early on, when Michael Duckworth limped off with a thigh strain, and Kidderminster were the better side in a poor opening half.
Ryan Whitley raced out to kick clear when George Walker charged into the area, then Walker headed into the arms of Whitley.
Boro’s only attempt on target all game saw Lewis Maloney curl a free-kick over the wall, into the arms of keeper Christian Dibble.
The deadlock was broken when Joe Foulkes sent a free-kick forward, the ball skidded off the head of Boro’s Richie Bennett into the goalmouth, and a scramble developed, with skipper David Davis poking home from almost on the goal-line.
Ash Hemmings had a shot blocked by the excellent Alex Brown, George Walker drilled wide under pressure from Kieran Weledji, and also fired over, and Maloney tackled Walker as he raced forward.
A rare Boro attack saw Brown pass forward towards Dom Tear, but keeper Dibble ran out to kick clear.
Davis added a second goal, when he connected with a Reece Devine pass from the left, and his shot deflected off the boot of Jake Hull, and sped into the bottom left corner.
Kidderminster had the wind in the favour for the second half, but Boro showed more purpose, without ever testing keeper Dibble. Bennett passed forward to Jack Waldron, who cut in from the right and passed to Harry Green, who flashed a shot past the far post.
For the visitors, the impressive Devine teed up a shooting chance for Charlie Cooper, but Will Thornton slid in with a strong tackle, and Maloney tackled George Walker when he burst forward.
Maloney then sent a terrific ball forward to Waldron, who laid off to Tear, but Kam Kandola hacked clear.
Big defender Emeka Obi twice went forward for Kidderminster, firing inches wide of the left-hand post, then being tackled by Thornton as he lined up another shot.
Probably Boro’s best move came on 70 minutes when Alex Purver won the ball in midfield, and passed forward to Ste Walker, whose lay-off sent Green racing goalwards, but his shot was blocked by Foulkes, then Brown had a shot blocked by Paul Kalambayi.
Late on, the visitors came close to adding a third goal, when a ferocious low shot from George Walker was tipped wide by a diving Whitley, with Waldron kicking the loose ball to safety.
BORO - Whitley, Duckworth (Green 14), Brown, Hull, Thornton (c), Purver, Weledji, Tear, Bennett (Allan 73), J.Waldron, Maloney (S.Walker 62). Unused subs - Walpole (GK), Gibson-Booth.
KIDDERMINSTER - Dibble, Devine (Onanaye 83), Kandola, Obi, Foulkes, G.Walker (Hall 87), Evans, Kalambayi, Davis (c), Cooper, Hemmings (D.Waldron 77). Unused subs - Thompson, Clarke, Morgan-Smith, Minaker.
REFEREE - Alex Beckett.
KIDDERMINSTER GOALS - David Davis 24, 41.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 4 (1 on target) KIDDERMINSTER 8 (3 on target).
CORNERS - BORO 0 KIDDERMINSTER 4.
OFFSIDES - BORO 3 KIDDERMINSTER 2.
YELLOW CARDS - Jake Hull (Boro), Reece Devine, Paul Kalambayi (Kidderminster).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown.
ATTENDANCE - 750 (96 away).