Nuneaton Town 0 Kidderminster Harriers 2

Report by Mark Farmer;

Nuneaton Town played hosts to Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday night for what turned to be Boro’s second defeat in only their third game of the 2016/17 National League North season.

Goals courtesy of James McQuilkin and Emmanuel Dieseurwwe were enough to gift the visitors all three points to take from the newly renamed Coombe Abbey Arena.

Nuneaton kicked the game underway and aimed to set about their work but it was Kidderminster who were on top from the off.

Just six minutes in the visitors’ gave their travelling contingent something to cheer as James McQuilin fired a low, driven shot across the face of Boro’s goal, leaving new signing and goalkeeper, Callum Burton, helpless as the ball clipped the inside of the post on its way over the line for a goal.

Boro did then aim to get themselves back into the game and found space down the left flank as Harrier’s right-back, Tyrone Williams, looked to commit himself forward in attack but Greg Tempest’s balls into the box posed little threat.

Nuneaton’s defence were tested midway through the half, first Sam Warburton cleared a Kidderminster header off the line, before Burton was called into action as he saved Williams’ powerful shot superbly with his outstretched right leg.

Six minutes before the break Kidderminster’s Emmanuel Dieseurwwe’s goal bound header found its way into the back of the net for 2-0 following a goalmouth scramble to clear the ball from the out-swinging corner.

It was an advantage the away side would take with them into the interval.

Half-time: Nuneaton Town 0-2 Kidderminster Harriers.

Boro upped the tempo in the second-half but it was Kidderminster with the first real effort of note as the lively Tyrell Waite dribbled the ball from half way before cutting inside on his left foot to see his shot drift over the bar.

Joe Ironside’s was introduced into the action as Shaq McDonald made way for the energetic striker on 56 minutes.

The home side felt they should have had a penalty shortly after, and it was Ironside’s shot that struck a Kidderminster arm six minutes later, but was waved away by the referee, despite Nuneaton’s player’s up-in-arms appeal and the roaring Boro fans behind the goal.

Nuneaton almost pulled a goal back through midfielder David Morgan with 15 minutes left to play.

Billy Daniels laying the ball off for Morgan to strike but his effort was hit viscously onto the crossbar and behind for a goal kick, to the relief of Harrier’s keeper Samuel Hornby.

Although Boro were the far more dangerous side in the second-half, Kidderminster maintained their clean sheet and with it three precious points to take away with them.

Nuneaton now find themselves still searching for their first win of the season, which they hope they will find on Saturday as they take on Salford City and their ‘Class of ‘92’ owners.

Full-time at the Coombe Abbey Arena: Nuneaton Town 0-2 Kidderminster Harriers.

Attendance 667.