Match Report: Kidderminster Harriers 0 Yeovil Town 1

Substitute Johl Powell grabbed a late winner to earn Yeovil Town three points from a hard fought win at Kidderminster Harriers.

The midfielder, who had replaced Zain Westbrooke in the 67th minute, ran on to a through ball from striker Slavi Spasov four minutes after coming on and coolly slotted home the winner.

The victory inflicted a first defeat of the season on the home side, managed by former Glovers’ midfielder Paul Wotton, and moved Yeovil up to sixth in the National League Premier Division table with ten games on the board.

First half

The opening exchanges fell in to a familiar pattern of both sides exchanging attacks without making any real impact, but early opportunities fell the way of Yeovil. First James Daly showed great pace down the left side and got a shot away which was blocked before Ryan Jones pass pick out Zain Westbrooke who tried to lob the keeper but his effort went wide.

But Kidderminster can claim the best chance of the opening 15 minutes after Callum Stewart’s ball from the left side picked out Callum Dolan on the far post and the former Torquay United man was only denied by a sensational block from the feet of Yeovil keeper Jos Barker.

The magic feet of Glovers’ winger Ryan Jones almost unlocked the Kidderminster defence on 21 minutes having picked the ball up in the middle of the park, he dribbled his way past three of tackles and got in a shot with clipped the post on its way wide.

As the half wore on, Jones got more and more creative and had the home side’s defenders on toast on numerous occasions. Indeed, some of tue inter play between Westbrooke, Jones and Brett McGavin was a joy to behold. We really can move it.

Half-time: Kidderminster Harriers 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

Kidderminster definitely came out for the second half determined to impose themselves more on the game and they were definitely the side in the ascendancy for the opening 20 minutes. However, despite their pressure and possession, there was nothing to call Barker in to action.

Yeovil captain defender Joe Gubbins, who picked up a booking a minute after the restart, was replaced by Ben Radcliffe. But the first real opening came from another mouth-watering move which began with a great forward run from wing-back Jordan Norville-Williams and ended with Westbrooke picking out McGavin inside the box after 65 minutes but the midfielder’s effort was well blocked by Kiddy defender David Davis.

Barker was called in to action again on 71 minutes when Dolan played a deep cross in to striker Lewis Walker whose header was superbly palmed away by the young keeper. A save that Jed Ward would have been proud of.

But three minutes later, Yeovil took the lead. Spasov did well in a physical altercation, turned his man and fed a ball through to the on-running Johl POWELL. The midfielder, on as a substitute for Westbrooke just seven minutes earlier, had time to think about it but showed no fear to coolly slot past the keeper in front of the travelling support.

Kidderminster were not going to give up easy and Barker did well to get down low to a strike from Stewart who ran at the Glovers’ goal and fired in a shot from the edge of the box with ten minutes remaining.

With seven minutes remaining, Yeovil made a treble substitution with Mason Obeng, Ste Walker and Charlie Lennon, replacing Daly, Spasov and Jones.

As the game pushed in to five minutes of injury time, there was the almost inevitable fears of a conceding a late goal with Kiddy pressing for a leveller. But, as the home supporters streamed out of Aggborough, a Ben Crompton effort dragged past the post was as near as they came.

The final whistle was met by a huge roar from what had been a vocal away end all afternoon and there was a real passion in the celebrations of the Yeovil players – this had not been the most attractive performance of the season, but they knew they had dug one out to pick up three more points.

Full time: Kidderminster Harriers 0 Yeovil Town 1

Substitutes: Ben Radcliffe (for Joe Gubbins, 53), Johl Powell (for Zain Westbrooke, 67), Mason Obeng (for James Daly, 84), Charlie Lennon (for Ryan Jones, 85), Ste Walker (for Slavi Spasov, 85), Matt Gould (not used).

Kidderminster Harriers: Jack Wint, Ben Crompton, Angus MacDonald, Cian Harries, Richard Faakye, Callum Dolan, David Davis, Max Brogan (for Zak Brown, 56), Reece Devine, Callum Stewart, Lewis Walker.

Substitutes (not used): Josh Bishop, Reece Hall, Luey Giles, Cameron Hargreaves, Ethan Moore, Levi Amantchi.