Saturday, October 19, 2002

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers moved into the Nationwide League Division Three play-off zone by bouncing back to winning ways with an exciting 3-2 victory over Shrewsbury Town at the Gay Meadow on Saturday.

Seventh-placed Harriers triumphed thanks to an own goal from the Shrews on-loan defender David Artell.

For Harriers, whose other scorers were Bo Henrisken and Danny Williams, it was the perfect response to a 2-0 home defeat against Macclesfield a week earlier.

Kidderminster boss Ian Britton said: "It was pleasing that we bounced back from the rubbish we served up the previous Saturday.

"We showed all the attributes as to why we are doing so well. All the players did well and played their part. I'm glad they have got back to how they have been playing.

"We thoroughly deserved to win and the mark of a good side is to bounce back - and we are a good side."

Harriers grabbed the lead in the fifth minute when Adie Smith's long ball into the area found Henriksen who swivelled to fire home from 16 yards.

The goal was allowed despite strong appeals for off-side and shortly afterwards the game was held up briefly when a linesman appeared to be struck by an object thrown from the crowd.

Shrewsbury were back on level terms in the 17th minute when a cross from Luke Rodgers was vollied in by Ryan Lowe.

A couple of minutes later Shrewsbury were awarded a controversial penalty following an incident involving Lee Ayres and Rodgers. Harriers 'keeper Stuart Brock, however, pushed away Nigel Jemson's spot kick and then saved the follow- up shot from Karl Murray.

The Shrews, however, snatched the lead in the 44th minute when Lowe scored again from eight yards after the opening had been created by Jemson.

Harriers equalised in first-half stoppage time when skipper Sean Flynn pushed a free-kick to Williams whose 25-yarder took a big deflection and wrong-footed keeper Ian Dunbavin.

Kidderminster spent a couple of minutes at the start of the second period without striker Drewe Broughton who needed nine stitches in a head wound after a first half collision.

Injured defender Scott Stamps also failed to appear for the second-half forcing Harriers to switch from a 3-5-2 formation to 4-4-2.

But the change failed to knock them out of their stride with Artell's own goal blunder enabling Britton's men to clinch their third away league victory of the season.