Saturday, April 8, 2000

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers boss Jan Molby watched his side take a massive leap towards promotion to the Football League with a 2-0 home win over rivals Rushden & Diamonds and then declared: "We've still got to keep our feet on the ground".

Kidderminster now head the Nationwide Conference by six points over Rushden who have played one more match than Molby's red-hot title favourites.

His side have seven games left and the Aggborough chief is determined they will not get carried away by Saturday's priceless victory.

He said: "The six-point gap with a match in hand is hopefully a gap that's too big, but we can't count our chickens yet. Believe me by the time we go to Southport on Saturday the players will have their feet back on the ground scrapping for points."

Kidderminster, who stretched their unbeaten home league run to 15 matches including 13 wins, took the lead when Ian Foster scored a controversial 61st minute penalty. The points were sealed with a well-taken goal by substitute Andy Brownrigg five minutes from the end.

The penalty was awarded after Doncaster referee Gary Brittain spotted a push by Jim Rodwell on Stewart Hadley, following a free-kick by Phil King which was headed over by Dean Bennett.

Leading scorer Foster calmly took the kick for his 16th goal of the campaign.

Within four minutes Harriers defender Adie Smith hooked the ball off the line after Michael Mison had headed over keeper Tim Clarke.

The points, however, were in the bag when Brownrigg, a 67th minute substitute for King, lifted a shot over Rushden's former Evesham United 'keeper Billy Turley.

It was a killer blow for Rushden whose response was a powerful header from Ray Warburton which rebounded off the bar in stoppage time.

For Kidderminster, who have suffered only one defeat in their last 20 league matches, it was sweet revenge for a 5-3 defeat at Rushden.

Molby said: "It wasn't the best game we have seen all season -- I was disappointed with Rushden's approach to it.

"We all thought it was a must-win situation for them, but they came here to try to spoil the game. I think in the end they got what they deserved which was nothing.

"We had to show patience because they put 11 men behind the ball. Their goalkeeper took approximately two minutes for every goal kick, so we knew what their tactics were."

And although the penalty award raised a few eyebrows, Molby said the win was deserved.

"Let's not forget the second goal when Brownrigg showed tremendous strength to lift it over the goalkeeper."