Kidderminster Harriers suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat to Chester City in their National League North play-offs semi-final, writes Neil Gordon.
Harriers took an early lead through Kyle Morrison’s header at Aggborough on Sunday, May 4, but it wasn’t enough to see them through to the final against Scunthorpe United, and the Reds will again be playing National League North football next season.
For Chester, Dylan Mottley-Henry grabbed a first-half equaliser and Declan Weeks scored a stunning late winner, after Kurt Willoughby’s penalty had been brilliantly saved by Harriers goalkeeper Christian Dibble.
A crowd of 4,647 watched Phil Brown’s men fall to defeat for the second game running after their agonising 2-1 loss at Southport last week, which denied them the title and automatic promotion back to the National League.
Early lead
Morrison gave Kidderminster the lead when he headed home from point-blank range at the back post from a corner to send Aggborough wild after 18 minutes.
Zak Brown could have given the hosts an earlier lead but his left foot shot whizzed past the Chester post with just three minutes on the clock.
The visitors equalised with their first real sight of goal when Mottley-Henry swept home a loose ball after Harriers goalkeeper Dibble had palmed away a long-range Connor Woods shot.
Plenty of chances
Both sides had chances to go in front in the closing stages of the first-half with Chester’s Willoughby striding down the left and firing past the near post, while Harriers Maz Kouhyar found himself in front of goal but unable to finish.
After the interval, Harriers were put to the test by a transformed Chester side that started the second-half looking to get the job done.
The visitors had a glorious chance to take the lead from the penalty spot after Morrison fouled Iwan Murray inside the box, but Dibble superbly beat away Willoughby’s fierce spot kick.
On the hour mark Kidderminster’s leading hitman Ashley Hemmings shot wide as both teams went for goal and treated the supporters to a thrilling passage of play.
Harriers were given a warning on 77 minutes when Chester substitute Dan Mooney was played through and knocked the ball past the outrushing Dibble, but he over hit it and the ball went out.
And just four minutes later the visitors booked their place in the play-offs final when Weeks sent a glorious curling shot inside the back post from the edge of the box for 2-1, to send the Chester contingent wild.
Despite ten minutes of stoppage time Harriers were unable to find an equaliser and force extra time, and the game, and the season, ended for Kidderminster with the players falling to the ground heart-broken in defeat.
Brown: ‘We didn’t play like we can and Chester did their job’.
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