Report by Mark Vickery at Spytty Park

Newport County 1 (Foley 50

Kidderminster Harriers 3 (Byrne 49, Miller 65 own goal, Jones 80)

Attendance: 1,672

Further punishment for County as they overcompensate for errors

PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS

The team should not be flat after the lacklustre performance against Telford but out to prove a point despite missing two key players

CONDITIONS

Partly cloudy with bright spells, pitch looked in decent condition     

SUMMING UP OUR PERFORMANCE IN ONE STATEMENT

Battling, started well but continue to be let down by bad errors of judgement

TURNING POINT

Warren sending off put us on the back-foot which we were never going to recover from

THE MATCH

County were forced in several changes, keeper Danny Potter was injured and replaced by Glyn Thompson, Tommy Docherty was suspended and replaced by Guillaume Velez and Sam Foley started in place of Felino Jardim who had to be content with a place on the bench. County started positively forcing play further up the pitch and were awarded a couple of early corners which Kidderminster dealt well with. Despite their promising start showed vulnerability on 8 minutes when a quick Kidderminster move down the right channel saw Hankin take advantage slipping Hughes to play in Guinan on the right side of the area but Thompson was alert to smother the effort. County went close on 12 minutes with a well worked corner on the right side which was played low to pick out Miller who got ahead of his marker but scuffed a shot from 10 yards wide of the right post. County were given another warning on 15 minutes again on their left channel when Hankin made a determined run and was allowed too much space to manufacture a cross into the six yard box which Williams glanced just wide of the left post when he should have hit the target. County responded with some good play which should have seen them take the lead. On 22 minutes, a Rose free kick on the right side pinpointed Warren perfectly and his header from 10 yards was well saved low down by Lewis. County continued to move the ball well in the final third and Kidderminster were coaxed into several challenges with climbing often let unpunished by the referee. County threatened again on 25 minutes from a free kick on the right side of the area and Rose rifled a great effort towards the left corner which the keeper reacted well to palm away. County looked certain to score on 28 minutes when a quick break down the middle saw Velez influential in finding McAllister and his ball out wide to Rose on the left side of the area invited a chance which Rose curled just past the right post from 14 yards. On 30 minutes, a direct kick out by Thompson was latched onto superbly by Rose and he played the ball to McAllister before he set up Buchanan for an effort from 25 yards which the keeper read well low down. Rose was having a lively game and was on the end of savage tackle on 32 minutes by Vaughan near the left touchline and it was let off for Kidderminster to not see them a man down. Yakubu was then booked for County for a mistimed challenge on Hankin in an unthreatening area. County continued to cause some anxiety for Kidderminster when defending inside their area and inside a minute the match was turned upon its head when County looked to have had valid appeals for a foul inside the box when McAllister was pushed. Both the referee and linesman saw no offence and Kidderminster launched a quick attack down the right side and County captain Gary Warren was coaxed into a late challenge covering the danger and was sent off. Kidderminster stepped up their approach as half time beckoned with some concerted breaks down their right side. Some indecision by County again on the left flank saw Hughes dispossessed and as County battled hard to get the ball back they conceded a free kick in a dangerous position. Williams was close with the free kick as it curled towards the left post but Thompson parried it away well for a corner. Kidderminster rained in a couple of shots from distance on the stroke of half time which Thompson was alert to.

Kidderminster continued where they left off with persistence down the flanks and some early crosses to test County who adopted a 4-4-1 formation at the start of the second half with Miller dropping into defence and Buchanan into midfield. Kidderminster had threatened several times down the right channel and it finally paid off on 49 minutes when a forceful run by Hankin to the byline was headed home at the back post and with no defender in sight, Bryne ghosted in to head home despite a brave effort to clear by Foley. County responded well and were level within a minute when they exposed Kidderminster with a quick break from midfield through Velez and his ball to McAllister was helped onto the Foley who struck a great effort into the right corner from 12 yards. County continued to be caught out by quick play and direct ball on 55 minutes by the keeper created confusion in the County area with Thompson and Hughes both going for the same ball and the ball dropped to Guinan but he could only loft it wide of the empty net from 20 yards. County had a great chance to forge ahead on 60 minutes when they counter attacked well with Rose breaking down the middle and he had the skill to forge to the byline and drag a good ball across the area which McAllister set up for Foley but his effort went fizzing just over the bar.  Kidderminster responded with a double substitution moments later with Gittings and Medley replacing Phelan and Williams. Kidderminster switched attention to their flank for a time with Medley orchestrating some forceful moves down the flank and County were asked to deal with crosses into the box which they cleared. Kidderminster gained a corner on 65 minutes on the left side which was taken quickly but under no pressure Miller headed into own net at the front post. County were dealt moments later when they should have cleared on their left flank but Hankin was able to steal possession and cut inside forcing Yakubu to lead with his leg and the referee sent him for a second bookable offence. Despite a double handicap, County managed to ask questions coming forward with some decisive play and some neat play on 68 minutes by Rose and McAllister gave Foley the chance of a first time shot from the edge of the area which looked goalbound until Marshall managed to divert with a header. Kidderminster were happy to keep the ball to wear County down and Buchanan was replaced on 75 minutes by Jardim. Kidderminster had won corners at ease throughout the game and added a third goal on 80 minutes when Jones put a well placed header into the right corner from 10 yards. County were spent force in the final ten minutes with Jardim making some jinking runs forward but there was no end product for County despite a late change with Greening replaced Velez. Kidderminster may have added another goal but some last ditch defending and blocks by County inside the box and Medley saw an effort tipped over from distance by Thompson in injury time.       

Thompson (6) – kicked well in general and made a couple of neat saves low down but authority on crosses not always prominent.

Rodgers (5) – was involved in the early stages, breaking up play well and made some contributions going forward but quality lacking on crosses

Warren (5) – did not have his own way in the air but did alright until the sending off

Yakubi (6) – kept defence together for a time offering plenty of strength in the air and on the floor, forced into challenge which saw red card        

Hughes (4) – needs to go out on loan and learn before confidence becomes an issue, not strong enough and dilly dallied on the ball too much exposing team 

Velez (6) – better on the floor than in the air, had a bright start to game passing efficiently and seeing a lot of the ball

Millar (5) – did a job when he dropped back, did not have his own way in the air, but tackled well but let down with needless own goal 

Foley (7) – honest shift, worked very hard up and down the pitch and got deserved goal today      

Rose (8) – for a time he threatened to dictate the game, providing several good balls into the box through intelligence to take up good positions         

Buchanan (5) – not in the game enough, restricted on chances and offered little from midfield

McAllister (6) – had a good opening period, caused problems in the air and link play was good but never really looked like getting on the end of anything                

SWOT ANALYSIS OPPONENTS

Strengths – they showed plenty of prowess and enterprise down the flanks and provided decent crosses. defenders were robust in the air

Weaknesses – much the climbing and impeding went unnoticed and they got away with a lot. Lack of pace at the back was not exposed.       

Opportunities – they overloaded the right flank and then late on diverted attention to the left side. Took set pieces quickly often catching County out.

Threats – Hankin had an eye for a cross with conviction and defenders always looked capable from set pieces.

OFFICIALS

K Johnson (5) – overlooked much of the climbing and nudges off the ball and consistency was lacking over sending off decisions.  

MAN OF THE MATCH

Danny Rose – kept side ticking in face of adversity, neat with his use of the ball and hit the ball sweetly from distance

IF YOU WERE ANTHONY HUDSON WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

They often say that you can assess the depth of a side by the quality of the full backs and today despite two central defenders getting sent off, a lot of this built up from our naivety in defending the flanks and switching off defending crosses. What was apparent in the first game against Kettering has still not been addressed as sides suffocate us down the flanks. Credit must be given to the nine players that made a fist of this game in difficult circumstances but a lot of our problems are coming from overcompensation for other areas on the pitch. With two days to the end of the transfer window, we need some fresh bodies in urgently which will make us more robust and competitive as we are weak both physically and mentally in our defending at the moment. On the bright side, we were enterprising and did create some good situations today going forward but could not make the most of the situation we had.