Hosts Scarborough Athletic edged out by new National League North leaders Kidderminster Harriers in five-goal thriller
Full-timers Kidderminster went top of the table with a 3-2 win at the Scarborough Sports Village, in an action-packed, full-blooded encounter between two fully committed teams.
Left-back Alex Brown returned to the Boro side after missing the last four games, with new signing Bill Marshall and reserve defender Calum Hudson on the bench, while the visitors fielded a vastly experienced line-up which included Afghanistan International midfielder Maz Kouhyar, on loan from York City, writes S.
The match began at a frantic pace, both sides taking turns to get forward.
Kiddy midfielders Joe Foulkes and Ryley Reynolds went on surging runs, before Boro had two left-wing corners from Alex Purver in quick succession.
The first was punched off the head of Will Thornton by keeper Christian Dibble, and the second was headed against the right-hand post by Kieran Weledji.
Harriers went ahead on 15 minutes when the pacy Reynolds burst forward and squared to Kouhyar, who fired inside the left-hand post, but Boro were level within 60 seconds, as the outstanding Brown sent over a cross from the left, and Luca Colville rose to head home.
There was a moment of great controversy on 21 minutes when Harry Green skipped past two defenders into the box, and went down under a heavy challenge, but instead of pointing to the penalty spot, the ref booked him for simulation.
Kieran Weledji blocked a stinging shot from Kouhyar, but Kiddy went 2-1 up when a scramble developed in the Boro area, Weledji blocking a Paul Downing strike, but Amari Morgan-Smith slammed in the rebound.
Boro fought back, a Brown ball into the area was hacked clear by Downing, and a Richie Bennett header was punched away by keeper Dibble, who also dived to fist away a ball into the goalmouth from the lively Bennett.
The equaliser arrived when Bennett was fouled, and Green blasted the 20-yard free kick round the five-man wall.
The second half was just as competitive, with both sides looking to create chances, and the physical nature of the game led to a few feisty challenges flying in.
For Kiddy, Jim Kellerman charged forward but was stopped by a superb Jack Waldron tackle, Weledji cleared when Reynolds was about to shoot, Thornton headed an inswinging cross from Foulkes clear, and Waldron blocked a fierce Morgan-Smith shot.
Boro then had a spell of pressure, with Bennett, Colville and Alex Wiles battling to create openings. Green teed up Dom Tear, who fired into the side-netting and Colville sent Wiles racing through, but he was halted by a crunching Deiss McNally tackle.
Kiddy went 3-2 up with a terrific breakaway goal, as Kouhyar played a precise through ball into the path of Morgan-Smith, who passed across the box for Ash Hemmings to slam in at the back post.
Boro again tried to fight back, Weledji flashed a shot wide and Colville’s ball towards Green in the area was intercepted by Caleb Richards.
There were a few niggly fouls, and when Brown went down under a challenge near the dug-outs, tempers were frayed, and a melee developed, the ref brandishing a red card to Boro boss Jono Greening.
Thornton kicked clear to foil Morgan-Smith, and Kellerman fired against the bar late on, as the game finished 3-2, but Boro had put in a great shift against the new leaders.
BORO - Whitley, Waldron, A.Brown, Weledji, Thornton (c), Purver, Green, Tear, Bennett, Wiles (Glynn 80), Colville, unused subs - Bancroft, Hudson, Wilson, Marshall.
KIDDERMINSTER - Dibble, Richards, McNally, Downing, Davis (Devine 59), Foulkes, Hemmings (Obadeyi 80), Reynolds, Morgan-Smith (c), Kellerman, Kouhyar (Z.Brown 83), unused subs - Palmer, Thompson
REFEREE - Joe Moss
BORO GOALS - Luca Colville 16, Harry Green 39; KIDDERMINSTER GOALS - Maz Kouhyar 15, Amari Morgan-Smith 27, Ash Hemmings 68
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 5 (3 on target) KIDDERMINSTER 8 (5 on target)
CORNERS - BORO 5 KIDDERMINSTER 2
OFFSIDES - BORO 1 KIDDERMINSTER 8
RED CARD - Jonathan Greening (Boro manager) 77 min
YELLOW CARDS - BORO - Harry Green, Jimmy Beadle (coach), Alex Purver (Boro); KIDDERMINSTER – Maz Kouhyar, Amari Morgan-Smith, Reece Devine (Kidderminster)
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Richie Bennett
ATTENDANCE - 1,161 (60 away).