Alfreton Town draw at Kidderminster Harriers after chucking three goal lead away

Alfreton Town threw away a 3-0 lead that they had taken only 37 minutes to establish, when high-flying Kidderminster Harriers salvaged a draw through a brace of late, late goals at the lmpact Arena on Saturday.

It had taken just 65 seconds for the Reds to open the scoring, when Craig Westcarr stroked home a Tom Allan cross from eight yards, and they were two goals to the good after 12 minutes when Allan’s towering back-post header found the net from a Ryan Wilson corner.

Fabian Spiess had to race out of goal to head clear when opposing keeper Sam Hornby launched a bouncing goal-kick that posed a threat, then Spiess pulled off a defiant save from Tyrell Waite’s 18th minute volley.

Arthur Gnahoua, Tyrone Williams and Elton Ngwatala all went close as Harriers responded, but Adam Priestley celebrated his call-up to the Gibraltar squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by netting his first Alfreton goal in style eight minutes before the break.

Priestley latched on to Todd Jordan’s through-ball before beating two defenders and slotting past Hornby from just inside the area, and there was little doubt at this stage that the Reds were full value for their 3-0 lead with Priestley going on to force a save from Hornby with a 43rd minute angled drive.

Spiess held Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s header as the second half began, then at the other end Brad McGowan headed behind from a Wilson corner, but Kidderminster began their come-back in the 53rd minute when sub Liam Truslove cut in from the right before lashing past Spiess.

Dieseruvwe advanced menacingly to the by-line three minutes later, but his cross was calmly intercepted by McGowan, then Truslove and Gnahoua fired wide for the visitors before good saves by Spiess from Waite and Truslove.

Into the last few minutes and intensified pressure from Kidderminster as the Reds sat deeper and deeper finally paid off, Andre Brown creating an opening before firing home from 16 yards as the clock declared that 84 minutes had elapsed.

Just 60 seconds later the game was tied at 3-3 when Truslove finished off a slick move by hammering low past Spiess, who then needed treatment for landing awkwardly, the keeper recovering sufficiently though to deny Dieseruvwe with a point-blank save in the fifth minute of added time.

ALFRETON: Spiess; Mantack, Kennedy, McGowan, Heaton, Jordan, Allan, Wilson, Monkhouse, Priestley (Smith 74), Westcarr.

SUBS NOT USED: Ottley, Clayton.

KIDDERMINSTER: Hornby; Williams (Austin 79), Francis-Angol, Crowsdale, Lowe, Tunnicliffe (Brown 74), Waite, McQuilkin (Truslove 45 mins), Dieseruvwe, Ngwatala, Gnahoua.

SUBS NOT USED: Thomas, Carter.

REFEREE: Ricky Wootton.

ATT: 568.