DEFEAT TO PROMOTION CHASING KIDDERMINSTER

Ashley Hemmings' hat-trick condemns Needham Market to a 4-1 defeat at promotion chasing Kidderminster Harriers.

Tom Rothery's side made 3 changes to Tuesday's defeat at Spennymoor Town as Jake Dye, Ben Hunter and Ted Collis' started in place of Josh Tomlinson, Jake Watkiss and Iffy Allen. 

Needham went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the third minute, Kyle Hammond's left wing free-kick in a dangerous area picked out Luke Ingram at the far post,s who glanced his header just wide. 

While a Kidderminster cross into a dangerous area just evaded a man sliding in at the far post on 7 minutes, Needham continued to hold their own.

Keiran Morphew meanwhile headed away a cross into a dangerous area following a corner, which the resulting thunderous low volley at the bottom corner was cleared off the line by Ingram on 16 minutes. Marcus Garnham claimed the follow up effort, ahead of palming Ashley Hemmings' shot behind his top near corner brilliantly five minutes later. 

The forward however broke the deadlock on 33 minutes, wrapping a close range shot into the bottom far corner, moments after his scuffed shot was cleared by Ben Hunter.

Kouhyar shot just over from the edge of the box on 40 minutes, before Kyle Hammond saw a shot on the turn blocked four minutes later.

After the restart, a great surging run from Jacob Lay saw Luke Ingram's low shot following his dangerous low cross blocked on 55 minutes. 

Garnham at the other end held onto a low fierce strike at his near post, before the hosts fired a shot narrowly over on 58 minutes. 

Seth Chambers replaced Teddy Collis, before Hemmings doubled Phil Brown's side's lead five minutes later, rasping a shot home from outside the box. 

 Jake Watkiss replaced Jamie McGrath, while Garnham tipped away a left wing free-kick before reacting superbly to swat Hemmings' lobbed rebound effort behind on 70 minutes.

Kouhyar though increased the hosts' lead from the resulting corner a minute later, smashing home into the bottom corner. 

Iffy Allen replaced Jacob Lay before Needham netted a consolation goal in the 77th minute. A great long ball split the home defence, releasing substitute Seth Chambers through one on one with onrushing goalkeeper Christian Dibble to cooly smash home into the bottom far corner.

Tommy Smith then whipped two dangerous crosses into the six yard, though Dibble claimed both, before the hosts floated a left wing free-kick narrowly wide of the far post. 

While the home side shot off target from a cross close to goal on 87 minutes, Keiran Morphew fed Jake Watkiss into space just outside the box only to see his low strike deflected through to Dibble two minutes later. 

Great play from Needham almost culminated in a second goal as six minutes of stoppage time were signalled, Ingram found Watkiss, who cleverly slotted Tevan Allen through inside the box whose low shot across goal was crucially topped behind by Dibble. 

Jake Watkiss had a shot blocked after Chambers flicked on Garnham's long ball down field in the 3rd added minute, albeit Dibble tipped away Tevan Allen's corner into the six yard box.

Hemmings' completed his hat-trick in the 95th minute, finding the bottom corner.

Tom Rothery reflects on Saturday's game. 

DK: The scoreline doesn't really reflect the game, does it? 

TR: I thought they were the dominant team, but I thought for the first 30, especially, I thought we did really well. They changed their shape, didn't they? The keeper went down, obviously wasn't injured. That gave them a chance to change their shape, which they did, scored quickly after that. And then second half, we came into it, once we went 2-0 down, we started moving the ball a little bit and gave a sloppy goal away for the third, and then really came into the game. Towards the end, I think the fourth goal was offside. Simple as that.

Obviously, we can speak to the fourth, so I've asked the fourth, and he's saying when the keeper kicked it, their player was in his own half, where he definitely wasn't. If I'm wrong, obviously, when I watch the video, then I'll hold my hands up, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't. They were the dominant team, but I thought for the first 30, especially, we did all right. After that, especially when they get ahead, it makes it difficult. Like I said, I thought they started the second half better than us as well. 

DK: If we scored in the third minute, it's a different game? 

TR: Yeah, we spoke about that at half-time as well. Ironically, that was one of the things I picked out. They haven't got many weaknesses, but they do struggle with that ball that is whipped in towards the back post area, from the left side whipping into the back post, or right side whipping into the back post. We did speak about that before the game, so that would have been nice if that would have gone in. Like I said at the start, I think they're a good side. They've got some really good offensive players, which they showed again today. If you make mistakes or give them opportunities, they don't mess around. I don't know how many chances they had, but they didn't have multiple chances, was it? But they took their chances really well when they did have them. 

DK: Equally, we held our own. 

TR: Yeah, like I said, I thought for the first 30 we did really well. It is a compliment of sorts. Obviously, it doesn't get us any points, but the fact that they've changed their shape shows that we were holding our own. I thought when they changed their shape, we struggled to deal with it then, which is a bit strange because actually the shape, the 3-4-3 is harder to deal with. When they then changed to 4-3-3, we seemed to struggle for that time before half-time. I thought that was probably their best. It definitely was their best spell of the first half, but it could have been their best spell of the game, really. Yeah, we struggled for that from 32 minutes or whenever it was when they changed up until half-time, really. So, I was quite pleased to get in at 1-0, which sounds mad after the first 30 holding your own. Obviously, we tried to get into the players at half-time and talk about getting on the ball. I didn't think we did that until we went 2-0 down. Then we started getting on the ball, playing a bit more. Like I said, the third goal just kills you because it's bright from their point of view, but it's quite sloppy from our perspective. Then, obviously, we get a goal to make it 3-1 and make the game a little bit more interesting. Then, like I said, I think their fourth goal was offside, but we'll see that in the video. I think 4-1 is a little bit harsh, personally.

DK: Like you said, a well-taken goal from Seth. 

TR: Yeah, that's pleasing. I thought Seth and Jake Watkiss, when they went on, contributed to the game, which is what you're asking. I thought they were bright when they came on. It's good for Seth, part of his development and becoming a better player. Scoring away at Kidderminster won't do him any harm, will it? 

DK: Up next, back at home for the first of three games against Buxton.

TR: Yeah, and let's not portray it any other way. Those next three games are going to decide whether we remain in this division or not. Simple as that.We've got to go all out and try and get as many points as we can in those three games. But Buxton won't be easy. That's a bit of an obvious statement, bearing in mind they beat 7-1 at their place. Curzon are obviously fighting for play-offs, so that won't be easy. And then you've got Rushall, who are obviously similar to ourselves, trying to stay in the league. There's no easy games in those three, but they're clearly going to be hugely important. If we've got any opportunity to stay in this division, we're going to have to get as many points as we can in those three games.