Morecambe 2(1) v (0)1 Kidderminster Harriers

FA Cup 1st Round - Christie Park - 11 November 2006

Attendance: 1673

Individual Stats
Morecambe
Shots
Fouls
Off.
v Kidderminster
Shots
Fouls
Off.
 
On
Off
For
Ag
     
On
Off
For
Ag
 
Steven Drench 5 0(1) 0 0 0 0 [1] Scott Bevan 5 0(2) 0 0 1(p) 0
Adam Yates 5 0 0 0 1 0 [2] Jeff Kenna 6 1 0 1 1 0
Michael Howard 5 0 0 1 2 0 [4/11] Michael Blackwood 5 0 1 2 0 0
Chris Blackburn 5 0 0 1 0 0 [17/6] Stuart Whitehead 6 0 0 1 0 0
Jim Bentley 5 0 0 1 2 0 [5] Mark Creighton 5 0 0 0 0 0
Fraser McLachlan 5 0 0 0 3 0 [24/4] Gavin Hurren 6 1 2 1 0 0
Garry Thompson 7 1 2 2(1p) 2 1 [11/18] Brian Smikle 5 0 0 0 1 0
David Perkins 5 0 0 5 0 0 [3/16] Russ Penn 6 1(1) 1 2 2 0
Wayne Curtis 6 1 0 0 1 5 [9] Andy White 6 0 0 1 2 0
Adriano Rigoglioso 6 2(2) 1 0 0 1 [10/22] Iyseden Christie 5 0 1 1 4 0
Michael Twiss 6 1 0 0 1 0 [7/25] Craig Nelthorpe 5 0 0 2 0 0
Garry Hunter     [8/14] Luke Reynolds 5 0 0 0 0 0
Ged Brannan     [12/17] Michael McGrath 5 0 1 0 0 0
David McNiven     [16/20]Neil Howarth     
Conal Platt     [19/24] Bob Taylor 5 0 0 0 0 0
Scott Davies     [30/13]Steve Taylor     
Team Stats
  Fouls Conceded Offside Corners Shots On Shots off
Morecambe127853
Kidderminster112836
GOALS
Morecambe Kidderminster
43Wayne CurtisPenalty89Gavin Hurren 
73Michael Twiss     
Formations
Morecambe
  Drench  
YatesBlackburn BentleyHoward
     
ThompsonPerkins McLachlanTwiss
     
 Curtis Rigoglioso 
Kidderminster
  Bevan  
KennaWhitehead CreightonBlackwood
     
SmiklePenn HurrenNelthorpe
     
 White Christie 
SUBSTITUTIONS
Morecambe Kidderminster
    65McGrathNelthorpeMcGrath to left midfield.
    78ReynoldsSmikleReynolds to striker, Hurren to centre midfield, McGrath to left central midfield.  Now 4-3-3.
    82B. TaylorWhiteB. Taylor to striker.
BOOKINGS
Morecambe Kidderminster
  Penn 30 Foul
Bevan 42 Foul
Blackwood 62 Unsporting Behaviour
 
Referee: D. Richardson (tbc)
Match Report by St@tto

Harriers' FA Cup dreams once again were left in tatters after an ignominious exit from the competition at the hands of Conference rivals Morecambe at a windswept Christie Park.

Terrible weather conditions meant that the game was a poor spectacle as neither team was able to play their normal, intended, game.  Overall, however, the home team coped better and deservedly ran out winners.  Following the recall of Paul Bignot by Crewe, Jeff Kenna was handed his first start since September 16 at York; also recalled was Andy White in place of Reuben Reid who was not allowed to play by Plymouth.

The opening half was dour with neither side creating much; the home team had the wind and rain at their backs but harriers soaked up the pressure quite well.  The Shrimps nearly broke the deadlock just past the half hour mark when Adriano Rigoglioso's 25-yard free-kick beat the wall but was pushed over the bar for a corner by Scott Bevan.  At the other end Russ Penn headed over at the far post after good work by Iyseden Christie had created the chance.  Penn went close again moments later; Brian Smikle carried the ball out of defence and fed it to Christie who knocked it square into the path of the midfielder who saw his low, long-range, shot saved by Steven Drench in the home goal.

Morecambe took the lead shortly before the break; Garry Thompson broke free through the inside-right channel and Bevan came out to meet him.  With the winger heading away from goal, however, Bevan needlessly brought him down inside the penalty area and referee Richardson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot; Wayne Curtis took the penalty and sent it high to Bevan's right, beating the keeper's dive.

After the break with the weather behind them Harriers could have been expected to take the game to Morecambe and force their way back into the game.  The hoped-for improvement didn't come, however, and it was the home team who were able to play the game at a pace and style that suited them.

On the hour a mistake by Mark Creighton gifted the ball to Curtis who was allowed a free run on goal before rolling the ball square to Rigoglioso who, fortunately for Harriers, shot straight at Bevan.  Shortly afterwards a corner from the right was only half cleared by the Harriers defence and fell to Thompson who fired wide of the far post from 25 yards out on the right.  Thompson was causing Harriers all sorts of problems in the second half and after beating Michael Blackwood to the ball shot wide with 18 minutes left.

The result was wrapped up moments later, however; Thompson got away on the right again and crossed low to the far post where Michael Twiss was left in acres of space to drill his shot back across goal and into the bottom corner.  Harriers were handed a glimmer of hope in the last minute when Kenna's free-kick from the left was forced in at the far post by Gavin Hurren but they could not find an equaliser in four minutes of stoppage time.