Kidderminster Harriers 1 Guisesley 2 - Report
Joe Ironside scored for the seventh match in a row as Kidderminster Harriers ended their disappointing National League North campaign in tenth place with a grim 2-1 defeat against lowly Guiseley at windswept Aggborough.
It is under achieving Harriers lowest league position for more than 40 years.
Their previous lowest was when they finished 18th at the end of the 1975-6 season when they were operating in the Southern League Division One North.
Since the early 1980s the vast majority of their campaigns have been in non-league’s top flight, although the previous two seasons have been in National League North when they reached the play-offs.
Harriers’ hopes of ending their dismal term on a winning note were dashed when the Lions bagged the points despite Ironside netting a second half penalty – his 19th goal of the season.
Kidderminster, who were second in the table when they fought out a goalless draw at Guiseley on October 27, made a couple of changes from the side which drew 2-2 at Southport on Easter Monday with Josh Heaton and young Jaiden White coming in for Harry Higginson and Joel Taylor.
Both teams had to contend with a strong, blustery wind with fourth-from-bottom Guiseley producing the first threat on goal with a powerful 20 yard shot which flew just wide of the target.
Harriers struggled to take control in the troublesome conditions with passes often going astray in the scrappy exchanges.
The hosts finally got in a shot on goal in the 23rd minute when Milan Butterfield tried his luck from distance with a low drive which was safely gathered by visiting goalkeeper Marcus Dewhurst.
Dewhurst was then well placed to gather a header from Ed Williams after Aggborough player-of-the-year Ironside had headed down a deep cross from Liam McAlinden.
Just after the half hour mark Ashley Chambers connected with a fierce first time cross shot which whizzed wide from a narrow angle.
Shortly afterwards Harriers went close to breaking the deadlock when a combination of Dewhurst and the post kept out an effort from Williams which was set up by McAlinden and Chambers.
The Lions, however, grabbed the lead on 44 minutes when their skipper Andy Halls confidently scored from the spot after a penalty had been awarded for a foul by White on George Cantrill.
Harriers started the second half in search of an equaliser and a promising build up by Fraser Horsfall and McAlinden resulted in leading scorer Ironside side-footing the ball wide from close range.
Guiseley, however, increased their lead on 67 minutes when Palmer, attempting to gather a shot from Jack Dyche, fumbled the ball over the line.
Soon after Dyche had a low shot from the edge of the area rebound off the foot of the post.
Harriers pulled a goal back when substitute Kane Richards was tripped just inside the area and man-of-the-math Ironside drilled home the resultant penalty in the 79th minute.
Teams
Kidderminster: Palmer; Austin, Horsfall, Heaton, McAlinden; Butterfield, Penn (Weeks, 46), Williams; White (Richards, 68); Ironside, Chambers. Subs not used: Hall, Higginson, Stratford.
Guiseley: Dewhurst; Halls, Digie, Thornton (Barkers, 77), Cantrill; Moyo, Purver, James, Hatfield; Felix (Archer 71), Dyche. Subs not used: Heaton, Starcenko, Barkers, Morrison.
Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis.
Attendance: 1,354 (38 away fans).