Saturday, January 25, 2003

BOSS Ian Britton breathed a huge sigh of relief after Kidderminster Harriers managed to hang on for a 3-2 victory over promotion-chasing Bury in Saturday's Nationwide League Division Three clash at Aggborough.

Two goals from Andy Bishop and another from Sean Parrish put Harriers in total control until the Shakers hit back with a vengeance in the final 10 minutes with strikes from substitute Ian Lawson and Steve Redmond.

Sandwiched between their two late goals was an excellent save by 'keeper Stuart Brock to deny Colin Cramb before Harriers eventually managed to negotiate four minutes of stoppage time to revive their play-off hopes with maximum points.

Grateful Britton said: "It was a much needed three points. For 80 minutes I thought we were great but because of our inability to deal with the last 10 minutes Bury could have snatched it. They could have got a draw out of it.

"For 80 minutes we didn't look in any danger at all and then for 10 minutes we looked like the way we have been defending over the last few weeks.

"Brock didn't have anything to do for 80 minutes, he was just watching the game but then we gave two goals away."

The nerve-jangling victory ended Harriers run of three league games without a win and helped ease the humiliation of their 2-1 Worcestershire Senior Cup quarter-final defeat against Bromsgrove Rovers at Aggborough in midweek.

Britton said: "The defeat against Bromsgrove kicked them up the backside a bit to be honest. I think for some of them realised they might be out of a job at the end of the season."

Kidderminster, now in 11th place in the table and just two points from a play-off spot, broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when a low cross from Kenny Coleman enabled Parrish to nip in front of Redmond and neatly flick the ball past keeper Glynn Garner.

They struck again in the 45th minute when Bo Henriksen robbed Colin Woodthorpe on the halfway line before knocking the ball through to Sean Flynn whose cross was blasted in from 12 yards by Bishop.

The eye-catching Bishop, on loan from Walsall for the rest of the season, completed Harriers' tally with a 20-yard shot on the run in the 62nd minute.

Fifth-placed Bury, managed by former Worcester City striker Andy Preece, then stretched Kidderminster's nerves to the limit with their battling fightback.

They made it 3-1 in the 80th minute when Lawson slid the ball past Brock after it had broken loose following a free kick by Cramb which deflected off Harriers' defensive 'wall'.

Brock's fine save to deny Cramb proved even more critical when Redmond made it 3-2 in the 89th minute when he drilled in a free kick from the edge of the area.