King’s Lynn Town 0 Kidderminster Harriers 1
King’s Lynn Town were undone by Kidderminster’s spoiling tactics as they suffered their first defeat of the season at the Docherty Walks Stadium.
The National League North contest – settled by an Emeka Obi goal in the first half – was far from a classic in a stop-start affair devoid of chances.
Lynn’s starting line-up showed two changes from Saturday, with one enforced as goalkeeper Louis Chadwick served a one-game suspension for his red card at Chorley.
The Linnets opted to play new shotstopper Aaron Chapman – signed from Spalding United earlier – between the posts ahead of Paul Jones, while Gold Omotayo came back into the side to face his former club at the expense of Rhys Doherty, who dropped to the bench.
There was also a return to the matchday squad from injury for striker Adam Marriott, who was among the home substitutes.
For Kidderminster, Pierce Bird started against his former club.
It was a scrappy start and Linnets skipper Michael Clunan was on the receiving end of a hefty challenge from Seb Thompson after four minutes, which earned the Harriers man the first yellow card of the evening.
Lynn’s Michel Gyasi was harshly booked for simulation five minutes later as the game continued at a frantic pace.
The visitors took the lead in the 25th minute through central defender Emeka Obi, who bundled past Chapman at the back post after a well-delivered free-kick from Joe Foulkes, which had been flicked on by Thompson.
Lynn failed to create any clear-cut opportunities in the first 45 minutes with Harriers’ centre-half trio of Kam Kandola, Bird and Obi sniffing out the home threat brilliantly.
Michael Gyasi almost created something out of nothing on the stroke of half-time but his effort whistled past the post as Lynn went into the interval trailing.
The visitors continued to frustrate Lynn with tactics at the start of the second period and the slow nature of the contest played right into Kidderminster’s hands as the game entered the final quarter.
Lynn desperately needed a lift as they looked for a way back into the game and head coach James Rowe made his first switch by bringing on Sam Collins for Bailey Clements.
Reece Hall-Johnson cut in from the right and saw his shot blocked, while Crane headed wide during a rare venture into the visitors’ box.
The fingertips of Christian Dibble pushed away a Morgan Williams free-kick as Lynn upped the ante going into the final 10 minutes.
Collins saw his powerful drive come back off the post as Lynn turned to Marriott for the final few minutes.
The fourth official’s board showed ten minutes of added time, but despite their best efforts, Lynn were unable to carve out an equaliser.
A late Omotayo header was somehow kept out by the body of Dibble and a powerful effort from Marriott was charged down as the visitors went home with the points.
King’s Lynn Town: Chapman, Hall-Johnson, Clements (Collins 71), Wilson, Clunan (Marriott 88), Omotayo, Gyasi, Nyahwema (Lambert 90+6), Dickens, Williams, Crane. Subs not used: Jones, Doherty, Fleming, Van Lier.
Booked: Gyasi, Clements
Kidderminster Harriers: Dibble, Penny, Kandola, Obi, Thompson (Walker 57), Morgan-Smith (Devine 88), Foulkes, Spokes, Innocent, Siziba (Reynolds 46), Bird. Subs not used: Tunnicliffe, Clarke, Adigun, Willoughby.
Booked: Thompson, Spokes, Foulke, Reynolds, Walker.
Scorer: Obi 25.
Attendance: 1,248.
