Cambridge United 2(2) v (0)0 Kidderminster Harriers

Football conference National - Abbey Stadium - 31 October 2009

Attendance: 3508

Individual Stats
Cambridge
Shots
Fouls
Off.
v Kidderminster
Shots
Fouls
Off.
 
On
Off
For
Ag
     
On
Off
For
Ag
 
Danny Potter 7 0(3) 0 0 0 0[1] Dean Coleman 5 0(2) 0 0 0 0
Dan Gleeson 5 0 0 2 1 0[2] Duane Courtney 6 0 0 1 1 0
Anthony Tonkin 6 0 0 1 0 0 [3/23] Danny Andrew 7 0 0 0 1 0
Brian Saah 5 0 0 0 0 0 [5] Gavin Caines 5 0 0 1 2 0
Wayne Hatswell 6 1 0 5 1 0 [6] Martin Riley 5 0 1 2 1 0
Paul Carden 5 0 0 0 0 0 [15/4] John Finnigan 5 0 1 2 2 0
Andy Parkinson 6 1(1) 2 1 1 0 [8] Dean Bennett 5 0 3 2 2 0
Jai Reason 6 1(1) 1 4 3 0 [14/10] Darryl Knights 6 1(1) 1 2 0 0
Danny Crow 5 0 1 1 2 0 [10/9] Matt Barnes-Homer 5 0 1 1 2 2
Chris Holroyd 6 1 0 0 3 1 [9/21] Robbie Matthews 5 0 1 1 4 1
Robbie Willmott 6 0 1 1 1 0 [11/14] Brian Smikle 6 2(2) 0 0 2 0
Rory McAuley 5 0 0 0 0 0 [12/11] David McDermott 5 0 0 0 0 0
Sam Ives 5 0 0 0 0 0 [20/15] Liam Dolman     
Jordan Patrick      [23/17] Tom Sharpe     
Jon Challinor      [25/18] Aaron Farrell     
Lee Phillips 5 0 0 1 0 0 [27/19] Nathan Hayward     
Team Stats
  Fouls Conceded Offside Corners Shots On Shots off
Cambridge 12 1 3 4 5
Kidderminster 17 3 7 3 8
GOALS
Cambridge Kidderminster
13 Chris Holroyd  
30 Wayne Hatswell   
Formations
Cambridge
   Potter  
Gleeson Saah  Hatswell Tonkin
     
Parkinson Reason  Carden Willmott
     
  Crow  Holroyd 
Kidderminster
   Coleman  
Courtney Caines  Riley Andrew
   Finnigan  
Bennett    Smikle
   Knights  
  Barnes-Homer  Matthews 
SUBSTITUTIONS
Cambridge Kidderminster
76 Phillips Holroyd Phillips to striker. 46 McDermott Finnigan McDermott to right midfield, Bennett to defensive midfield.
85 Ives Willmott Ives to left midfield.     
90+ McAuley Parkinson McAuley to right midfield.     
BOOKINGS
Cambridge Kidderminster
Gleeson 61 Foul
Reason 73 Dissent
  Caines 45+ Dissent
Riley 65 Unsporting Behaviour
Matthews 86 Foul
Knights 90 Dissent
Bennett 90+ Foul
 
Referee: Stuart Burt (Northamptonshire)
Match Report by St@tto

A disappointing week for Harriers ended with another defeat, losing to two first half goals at Cambridge despite turning in an improved performance.

After the unacceptable performance given in the midweek FA Cup defeat at Fleetwood Harriers needed to put on a good show and to a certain extent they managed it, playing some very pretty football at times. In the attacking third of the pitch, however, they gave little threat.

Robbie Matthews returned from suspension and loan signing Danny Andrew made his debut at left back. The youngster gave an impressive performance, showing the polish that comes from his upbringing at a Championship side. The disappointing thing for Harriers was that the best player in the team was an 18-year-old making his first senior start.

The home team took the lead after just 12 minutes, a pass through the inside-right channel beat Harriers' offside trap leaving Jai Reason clear to run to the byline before chipping a cross to the far post where the Conference's leading scorer Chris Holroyd was on hand to head in his 14th goal of the season.

Harriers began to get back into the game and were passing the ball around well and enjoyed some good spells of possession.  24 minutes in a Darryl Knights corner from the left was met by the head of Brian Smikle but Danny Potter in the home goal did well to tip it over the bar for another corner.  Moments later a John Finnigan shot from distance was blocked, the loose ball ran to stand-in skipper Dean Bennett who blasted his shot over the bar from outside the penalty area.

Against the run of play United doubled their advantage on the half-hour.  Robbie Willmott floated a free kick in from wide on the left and former Harrier Wayne Hatswell ghosted into the penalty area unchallenged to glance a header past Dean Coleman.  Ten minutes before the break things could have got worse for Harriers; Coleman miskicked a clearance straight to Andy Parkinson on the right, he switched the ball to Willmott lurking beyond the far post but he shot into the side netting.

After the break Harriers continued to enjoy long spells of possession, playing the ball around nicely, but without really threatening the hosts.  Ten minutes into the second period another Knights corner caused problems in the home goalmouth, Potter flapped at the ball dropping it at the feet of martin Riley who blasted over the bar.  Shortly afterwards Harriers' best chance of the game came; Matthews' header fell to Knights who hit a good shot on the turn straight at Potter.  Matthews himself went close just after hour mark, hitting a 25-yard free-kick over the wall and just over the bar.

In the closing stages of the game United could have increased their advantage further, Danny Crow's pass sent substitute Lee Phillips into the penalty area on the left, his pull back fell to Parkinson who blasted over the bar.  Two minutes from the end Harriers had the ball in the back of the net, Smikle bundling in Andrew's left wing cross but the goal was ruled out as the referee had spotted a foul.  Then, in the last minute United had a goal ruled out for offside.