Scarborough Athletic snatch win at play-off rivals Kidderminster thanks to late Jake Charles goal

Kieran Weledji was man of the match as Boro won 1-0 at Kidderminster Harriers.

It wasn’t the greatest of games, and was scrappy and niggly at times, but a second successive clean-sheet, and a battling performance will have delighted manager Jono Greening, as Charles, who missed 25 matches during his recent four and a half month absence with a dislocated shoulder, came off the bench to notch his first league goal for the club nine minutes from time, to add to his recent brace against Thornaby in the North Riding FA Senior Cup.

In a game of few chances, Boro again defended superbly, with keeper Joe Cracknell making a couple of top saves, tough-tackling wing-back Kieran Weledji rampaging down the right flank, and centre-backs Bailey Gooda and Ryan Qualter winning all the high balls.

Kidderminster perhaps shaded the first half, but only once went close to taking the lead, as early as the second minute, when Ashley Hemmings fired a free-kick towards the top corner, but the in-form Cracknell tipped the ball round the post.

In other Kidderminster attacks, a cross from Hemmings dipped over the Boro bar, Jack Bearne had a shot blocked by Qualter and a Shane Byrne cross was bundled over the bar by Krystian Pearce on the stroke of half time.

For Boro, Ciaran McGuckin had a shot blocked and Michael Coulson fired straight at the keeper.

Boro were the better side in the second half, with Luca Colville, Lewis Maloney and Kieran Glynn bossing midfield, but Cracknell again pulled off a good save, when Nat Knight-Percival’s header from a Hemmings cross, was flicked round the post by the Boro keeper.

The deadlock was almost broken on 69 minutes, when Alex Wiles played the ball to Charles in the goalmouth, but Harriers keeper Tom Palmer made a terrific point-blank save, with Charles sending the rebound narrowly past the post.

Jake Charles netted the late winner for Boro at Kidderminster Harriers.

The winning goal came late on, when Weledji sent over a cross from the right, and Charles was on hand to fire past the keeper from close range, sparking jubilant celebrations amongst the vocal travelling supporters behind the goal.

Knight-Percival fired over in stoppage time, as Boro comfortably held on for the three points, to end Harriers‘ three-match winning run, and keep their play-off hopes going strong.

KIDDERMINSTER: Palmer, Penny (Morrison 35), Knight-Percival, Pearce, Owen-Evans, Morgan-Smith, Hemmings, Lissimore, Bearne (McGlynn 66), McNally (Brown 82), Byrne.

BORO: Cracknell, Weledji, Burton, Maloney, Gooda, Qualter, Coulson (Charles 66), Wiles, McGuckin (Watson 84), Glynn (Greenfield 77), Colville.

REFEREE: Niall Smith

GOAL: BORO - Jake Charles 81

YELLOW CARDS: KIDDERMINSTER - Nat Knight-Percival, Shane Byrne, Ashley Hemmings; BORO - Ryan Qualter, Bailey Gooda, Kieran Glynn.

BORO MAN OF MATCH: Kieran Weledji.

ATTENDANCE: 2,242 (124 away)