Report: Harriers hit with heavy defeat against promotion rivals Chorley

KIDDERMINSTER’S promotion hopes suffered another set-back as they were handed a heavy defeat against rivals Chorley.

A Josh Wilson double and goals from Elliot Newby and Andy Teague saw the visitors to Aggborough bag all three points.

The loss saw Harriers drop to fifth in National League North and leaves them four points off leaders Bradford Park Avenue.

Harriers made two chances from the side that drew with Nuneaton the week before as Declan Weeks and new addition Russ Penn came in to replace James Baxendale and Ryan Johnson. The changes also saw boss Neil MacFarlane switch system from 3-5-2 to 4-3-3 for the clash.

It was the hosts that started the brighter as they snapped into the challenges and moved the ball quickly early on. They then worked the first effort of the afternoon as Weeks fired narrowly over after just two minutes.

Harriers continued to enjoy good possession but clear-cut chances remained at a premium.

It was the visitors that snatched the lead on 26 minutes as Josh Wilson finished beyond Brandon Hall via a deflection off captain Jimmy O’Connor.

Reds were left appealing in vain that Wilson hadn’t got himself back onside by the time the ball was played back into the dangerzone.

The clash soon became a disjointed and niggly affair with both sets of players getting involved in needless off-the-ball tussles.

It was a scenario that more than suited the visitors after they’d gone ahead and made it hard for Harriers to build and sort of momentum in the final third.

Instead it was Chorley that struck a big blow in first half injury time as Elliot Newby curled home from the edge of box.

Lee Vaughan had cleared off the line moments earlier but the hosts found themselves with a mountain to climb after losing the ball when penned in their own area.

Reds needed a big reaction early in second period and passed up two early opportunities.

First Weeks fired a free-kick over from 25 yards before Ash Chambers missed a gilt-edged opening.

The forward failed to head home Vaughan’s right-wing cross two minutes later when finding space six yards out.

The game went away from Harriers on the hour mark as Chorley pounced on an error from Weeks.

His ball in-field was intercepted by Wilson as the home rearguard was exposed again.

Wilson collected a return ball from Jake Cottrell and fired under Hall to bury any hopes of a comeback.

It got even worse for the home side six minutes later when skipper Teague bundled the ball over the line to make it 4-0.

Hall initially denied Wilson his hat-trick when tipping away another goal-bound effort. However, the ball came back off the foot of the post to allow Teague to poke it over the line.

Ed Williams forced a save from Matt Urwin as the game headed into the final 10 minutes but it was a rare effort from a disappointing afternoon for the hosts.

Harriers: Hall, Vaughan, Taylor (Austin 74), O’Connor (c) (Johnson 65), Horsfall, Penn, Weeks (Richards 65), Daniels, Bradley, Chambers, Williams.

Unused subs: Baxendale, Wagner.

Chorley: Urwin, Challoner, Blakeman, Teague (c), Meppen-Walter, Jordan, Cottrell, O’Keefe (Glynn 85), Carver, Wilson (Almond 75), E. Newby (Whitham 71).

Unused subs: A. Newby, Anson.

Att: 2,090 (117).