RYLEY Reynolds scored his 12th goal of the season as Kidderminster Harriers beat title-contenders South Shields 1-0 to finish their league campaign with a sixth straight victory, writes Neil Gordon.
Reynolds struck on the hour on a dramatic final day of the regular season, which also saw a welcome return in goal for Christian Dibble after his recent horror injury.
A crowd of 3,187, including 426 travelling ‘Shields supporters, watched on in glorious weather as Kidderminster concluded their National League North campaign in third place on 87 points, 13 points behind champions-elect AFC Fylde.
The Reds gave an indication of their intent on four minutes when Reynolds clipped the visitor’s crossbar from a corner as they looked to complete the double over second-placed ‘Shields.
At the other end, Dibble raced off his line to deny Will Jenkins with the latter put through on goal.
As play went from end to end David Davis’ overhead kick was palmed away by Jasper Sheik in the visitor’s goal, while Emeka Obi crucially headed Cedwyn Scott’s goal-bound shot out for a corner.
After the interval both sides continued to attack and the breakthrough arrived when that man Reynolds drilled home from the edge of the box to finish a great move he had started in his own half.
While three sides of Aggborough celebrated ‘Shields hit back and Dibble denied Oliver Bainbridge before superbly saving Sean McGurk’s dangerous direct free kick, while Obi struck the cross-bar at the other end.
And Harriers withstood late pressure from the visitors to round-off an excellent performance with a deserved fourteenth home league victory of the season ahead of entering the play-offs.
Kidderminster will play the winners of the play-offs quarter-finals tie between Macclesfield and Chester at Aggborough on Saturday, May 2. Kick-off is 12.30pm.
