 |
| Tate Campbell's Strike Hit The Woodwork |
More than 4,000 Hereford fans weren't given the Christmas present they were hoping for as they watched their side outplayed and outclassed by full-time Kidderminster Harriers.
A convincing 3-0 win for the Wyre Forest side saw them play organised, efficient and neat football versus Hereford's way of a mix of longballs and relying on Yusifu Ceesay down the left.
After threatening from the off, Harriers took the lead in the 10th minute with a stunning Zak Brown strike from range deflecting in off the underside of the crossbar. Into the second half, Tope Obadeyi doubled his side's lead as he chipped the ball over Tom Donaghy miles off his line and Amari Morgan-Smith sealed the three points with a late goal.
Hereford found themselves under the cosh from the off, with a threatening Caleb Richards ball down the left picked up by Kam Kandola. His cross from the left went past the far post, but Ashley Hemmings still won a corner as his shot was deflected behind. With Hemmings stepping up, his delivery was turned goalwards by Morgan-Smith but Tom Donaghy was equal to the effort.
After the early chances within five minutes, by the 10th minute, Harriers were ahead. As they worked the ball forward with their neat, passing play, the Bulls failed to close down Zak Brown 25-yards out and his speculative shot towards Donaghy's goal slammed against the underside of the crossbar and across the line.
 |
| Several Flares Were Thrown On The Pitch After Kidderminster's First Goal |
Deflated by the early opener, Hereford struggled to make progress towards Harriers' box, with five at the back and three up front, provided a tough test for a weary-looking Bulls side. Quick to sting Hereford on the counter attack too, it made Paul Caddis's unchanged side wary of committing too many men forward.
 |
| Ceesay Is Brought Down But D'Ath's Free Kick Is Easily Defended |
A quick Ryley Reynolds break down the right nearly saw his cross turned home by Obadeyi, but Donaghy was on hand to keep it out. While the Bulls won corners, they never really tested visiting keeper Christian Dibble.
A header wide from Joe Foulkes after getting on the end of a Hemmings cross and Brown firing over after carving open Hereford down the middle nearly saw the half out, but Hereford had a chance to pull themselves back level. As the Bulls forged a way forward against a defence which had been easily winning back possession and mopping up any danger, a curling Tate Campbell shot from the edge of the area had left Dibble well beaten - only to be denied by the crossbar, with the ball bouncing clear for the keeper to gather.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Kidderminster Harriers 1
With no changes at the break, it was important for Hereford to up their game and get a foothold - but Harriers doubled their lead within five minutes of the restart. Former Bulls Obadeyi chased down a ball on the right, chipping over Donaghy who was way off his line to send the visiting side into raptures.
Still unable to break down a Harriers side who were well-drilled in clever stoppages and time-wasting, along with the confidence of topping the form table, Hereford made a triple substitution. On came Declan McGlynn, Ahkeem Rose and Andy Williams for Dylan Mitchell, Jaiden White and Jason Cowley.
 |
| Declan White Pushed To The Ground? |
With Harriers still stronger, fitter and hungrier than the Bulls, the final two changes were made as Ryan Bartley brought some much-needed pace to the defence for the dependable but tiring Kyle Howkins and Alex Babos replaced Tate Campbell in midfield.
Kidderminster could've made it three in the 73rd minute as Hemmings' free kick was headed against the bar by Kandola, or in the 83rd minute as Hemmings struck the woodwork after being played in by Reynolds. The third did come though, as Amari Morgan-Smith curled home a sweet strike in the 88th minute.
Despite six minutes of injury time, for which hundreds of Bulls fans missed having made an early exit, there was no way the hosts were going to pull anything back. Full-time Kidderminster appeared stronger, smarter, hungrier, fitter and more promotion-ready than Hereford, whose predictable play was all too easy for the visitors to deal with.
Andy Williams Collided With The Kidderminster Keeper 
And The Keeper Made The Most Of It
A bad day at the office and all eyes will now quickly turn to the New Year's Day trip to Leamington. Thankfully no double-headed this year.
Full time: Hereford 0 - Kidderminster Harriers 3
Sponsors' man of the match: Yusifu Ceesay
Attendance: 4,925 (700 away)
Hereford: Donaghy, Robinson, Howkins (Bartley 61'), Preston, Hudson, D'Ath, Mitchell (McGlynn 55'), Campbell (Babos 61'), Ceesay, White (Rose 55'). Cowley (Williams 55').
Kidderminster Harriers: Dibble, Richards, Downing, McNally, Morgan-Smith, Hemmings (Kouhyar 84'), Foulkes (Devine 90+2'), Brown (Kellerman 89'), Obadeyi (Davis 65'), Kandola, Reynolds.
Subs: Palmer