Lye Town 1-2 Kidderminster Harriers

3/4/2023 – 2.00pm – Lye Town Football Club.

Goals – Fox, Whyley – UCHE

West Midlands Regional Premier League.

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It was a first trip to Lye Town and first off always like to start off with giving credit to people when they deserve it. A tweet before game about looking forward to welcoming me to game and the staff and players saying hello and giving a smile always goes along way to a first impression. Lye Town defiantly were a welcoming team to the ground. That’s first off and of course Kidderminster Harriers are always such an amazing team to go see and so welcoming and inclusive to everything they do as noted on Instagram. This would be my 9th Kidderminster game of this season making them second on matches seen to Leafield.

The warms got underway with the Sun shining, yes the sun.. It’s so nice to be warm but when it’s overcast the sun plays with you and because I’d forgot my monopod it was going to be tough on the arms with the photos. But we battled through and tried to complete something that could show off the game.

It was obvious from the start of the game, the game before and everything had been told. The games between Kidderminster and Lye are always a showcase game for the league and always an interesting watch. It was a fast start for Kidderminster Harriers as they were 1-0 up in the first 5 minutes of the game. It was some great pinpoint passing from Georgia Harris who found Sarah Hazell who knocked it back to Macy Fox – Spoiler was that it was already 0-1 but even if you hadn’t had the spoiler when the balls breaks to Macy Fox, it usually rustles in the back of the net. She finished it expertly into the top corner to make it 0-1 early on.

You could see in the play that the two teams were very closely matched up all over the pitch as both teams were pushing and defending well from the shade to the sunshine. It was Kidderminster who doubled the lead on the 23rd minute though. It was Danielle Selmes who put the ball into the box and an on running Chloe Whyley who flicked it goalwards giving the goalkeeper no chance. It was 0-2 to Kidderminster Harriers midway through first half and Lye Town had alot to do to get back into the game.

Lye Town certainty didn’t allow this to affect them though as come the end of the first half they were team on top. But Kidderminster defended well and made sure they went into the break with the 0-2 lead. A real battle on the pitch between the two teams just Kidderminster had took their chances when Lye Town hadn’t managed to get on scoresheet. It was a great battle between so many players on the pitch.

It was still Sunny and the linesman on my side came over and had a chat and was interested in finding out about Leafield hat had on and the badge. I only mention this because officials get alot of stick and never get everything right but they are just genuine people who give up their time and effort for something they enjoy doing. This linesman was certainty in that category.  Be more like Kathryn Pagan, sweet talk the officials than abuse them.

But on with the game it was Lye Town who were next to affect the scorers when a fantastic ball and bullet header come in from Lafe Uche who all game was a real player to watch out for battling and pushing Lye forward. But on the 54th minute Lye were back in the game at 1-2 with over 30 minutes left to go.

But the time you are most vulnerable is when you have just scored and within 2 minutes of the restart the referee was pointing to the spot for a penalty too Kidderminster Harriers on the 56th minute. I think some fantastic work by Libby Stokes the young starlet lead to the penalty being awarded. Danielle Selmes stepped up to take the penalty. You’d almost bet your mortgage on it hitting the back of the net but the Lye keeper pulled off a cracking save which lead to her having to come off the pitch but she had kept her team right in the game. Lye tried to decide who was going to go in goal as the physio helped the keeper back to their bench.

The game was still going at a furious pace and both teams looking for the important 4th goal as if Kidderminster scored it, it would give them a 2 goals cushion again and if Lye scored it they would be back in the game on level terms. This overfilled into seeing the red mist land with a melee on the pitch and led to a red card being shown to Chelsea Tague for losing her head with Molly Maguire. This again led to the scenes of both teams standing up for each other on the pitch that calmed down to a simmer thankfully.

Once again after the dust settled and everyone had calmed down, this is where really credit Lye Town as well even though down to 10 players still really pushed Kidderminster until the final whistle. Both teams still looking for the important goal but it didn’t come as the final whistle went and everything was truly left on the pitch.

I’d just like to say about the photo above shows what football should be all about and seeing the players chatting with each other and laughing and joking. Between the whistles you leave everything on the pitch and give the crowd and people watching a show and after you share moments and memories between each other. This truly was this, even though on the pitch it got a bit heated once the game had finished everyone was laughing joking and showing respect to each other. Most people would say this should be a given but it isn’t always the case, so was fantastic to see.

Obviously my home is with Leafield Athletic in Midlands Division One but this season has truly seen some great battles and games in West Midlands Regional Premier League, this was another one of those. 

On to the summery as it was of the game, the day. My first trip to Lye Town was a positive one, I’d had a good day, seen some great football and even the uber driver on the way home we chatted about the olden days with Villa.

It was my 9th game of the season seeing Kidderminster Harriers this season with David, Piers, Daryl and Sally all being so welcoming before the game. One thing that is always a positive is the connection and application the team shows, this was something I noted from when first went to Sporting Khalsa to see them. It truly is a club full of fantastic people and players and it has been a joy to see them grow and develop this season. 

One final thing I’m going to mention is a little shout out to someone, who it not secret I think isn’t only a fantastic player but always makes time and goes out of their way to be such an awesome person come chat and make feel welcome. El Capitano, Molly Maguire. Not only did she banter with the lads who was giving her stick but also clapped them at the end of the game. A truly fantastic player, person, captain and representative of Kidderminster Harriers Football Club, Men’s or Womens. And yes sorry David I will forever want to see her put on the Leafield shirt, but it isn’t bad to come see her play at Kidderminster when get chance too.