Grays Athletic 5 Kidderminster Harriers 0 (Away)
Tue, March 28, 2006. Kick off: 7:45 PM
Match Report by Martin Candler
Any concerns the small, noisy band of Blues fans who travelled to the Aggborough Stadium may have had that Saturday?s titanic Trophy game with Exeter would affect their performance tonight were soon dispelled. Grays produced a scintillating display of attacking football that tore the Kidderminster defence to shreds. Led by the power and pace of Aaron McLean and Dennis Oli, the opening goal arrived as early as the 6th minute, when a clearance from the Kiddies keeper, John Danby, struck the retreating McLean on the back and he held the ball up long enough to feed Oli who scored from a tight angle.
In the 32nd minute, Mclean was again the provider putting Michael Kightly clear with a peach of a pass from which Kightly drilled in the second goal. Kidderminster had their best spell of the match at this time creating chances for Gareth Sheldon, Terry Fleming, and subs Lee Thompson and Gavin Hurren. However, Ashley Bayes produced fine saves to deny them but could only watch as Sheldon hit the side netting when presented with an open goal by John Newby.
Grays increased the pressure in the second half and in the 47th minute, from a free-kick conceded by John Mullin for a foul on Oli, Glenn Poole struck a blistering 25 yarder past the despairing Danby. McLean put the lively debutant Mark De Bolla, on as sub for Kightly, away only for him to be hauled down in the penalty box by Danby, who received a yellow card. Stuart Thurgood converted the spot kick to put Grays four goals up. The only surprise of the evening was that the effervescent McLean failed to score with several shots and headers, hitting the woodwork on two occasions. Gary Hooper, substitute for Oli, showed his goal-scoring talents by running almost from the half-way line to complete the scoring for a rampant Grays side. Yet another great performance by Stimmo?s team, can they defy the odds and reach the play-offs? Even some of the hardened Blues pessimists are thinking perhaps they just might!
Grays Athletic: Bayes, Sambrook, Hanson, Stuart, Nutter, Kightly(DeBolla 61), Thurgood, Olayinka, Poole, McLean(Williamson 78), Oli(Hooper 72)
Subs not used: Eyre, Bruce
Goalscorers: Oli(6), Kightly(32), Poole(47), Thurgood(72 pen), Hooper(89)
Bookings: McLean(67)
Ref: K Evans
Attn: 1220
Fans Man of the Match: Oli
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