Tuesday, August 24, 2004

THEY say a penalty shoot-out is a cruel way to lose a football match and Kidderminster Harriers can certainly vouch for that today.

Harriers deservedly held Welsh giants Cardiff to a 1-1 draw at the end of extra-time last night but Tony Warner's save from Steve Burton proved crucial in the round of spot-kicks.

The Championship outfit triumphed 5-4 in the Carling Cup first round but referee Brian Curson made Harriers' blood boil by ordering a re-take after John Danby blocked sub Stuart Fleetwood's penalty.

Kidderminster's inspirational young keeper had apparently moved off his line before the kick was taken to make the save, a crime that seemed to go completely unpunished throughout the recent European Championships.

Fleetwood did not miss for a second time and it was hard luck on Danby who once again pulled off a string of eye-catching saves.

But Aggborough certainly did not stage a one-sided affair as Harriers fully played their part, hitting the post twice in the second-half and looking the better team for spells with flowing football.

Though the hosts may well have stepped up their act to compete with a team expected to be among the contenders for a Premiership place, Molby's new-look team is certainly showing a great deal of promise.

They took the first half-an-hour to cope with sharp Welsh international Robert Earnshaw who had forced Danby into two fine saves before he opened the scoring on 28 minutes.

Ex-Hereford winger Paul Parry's ball across the box prompted Earnshaw to show off a nifty bit of footwork before unleashing a lethal bottom-corner finish from 18 yards.

However, Harriers had been behind for just four minutes when Simon Brown, returning from suspension, directed a glancing header from Burton's left-wing free-kick past Warner.

Constant menace Brown forced a block from the keeper as Molby's men finished the first-half stronger against a team boasting plenty of international talent.

Cardiff left-back Tony Vidmar escaped with a yellow card on 53 minutes after kicking out in frustration following a foul and nearly making contact with referee Curson.

The Australian international was to see red eight minutes from the end of extra-time for a second yellow, a foul on Ian Foster, but Harriers will feel he should have gone earlier.

In the space of four minutes mid-way through the second half, Wayne Hatswell's angled volley struck the post and then Burton found the other up-right with a 20-yard free-kick.

The excellent Danby turned on the style to make late saves from Graham Kavanagh, Earnshaw and Vidmar, then went on to deny Andy Campbell in a one-on-one on 103 minutes.

Again Harriers were on top at the end against 10 men and Foster's firm shot was deflected into the hands of Warner to leave the first penalty shoot-out in Harriers' short Football League history.

Though Foster, Richie Appleby, Dean Keates and Hatswell all finished confidently from the spot, Warner denied Burton.

But Fleetwood's re-take was to prove vital as Cardiff team-mates Kavanagh, Earnshaw, Willie Boland and John Robinson all tucked away their kicks.

Harriers: *Danby 9; Jenkins 8, McHale 8, Hatswell 8, Burton 8; Mellon 7 (Appleby 68, 7), Keates 8; Advice-Desruisseaux 8; Brown 8 (Foster 103), Christiansen 7, Roberts 7 (Gleeson 105). Subs not used: Lewis, Russell. Attendance: 1,897.