ALDERSHOT TOWN 1, KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 0

CHARLIE Walker’s 11th goal of the season broke Kidderminster Harriers’ dogged resistance and clinched a third successive win for Aldershot who move into the safer climes of mid-table in the National League.

Aldershot made hard work of beating a side well adrift at the foot of the table and in some disarray off the pitch.

Harriers, the only Worcestershire club to have played in the Football League (2000-05), have been through two managers this season and the team is currently being run by chief executive Colin Gordon.

But one of their two wins this troubled campaign was against Aldershot in November and although Gordon set his side up ostensibly in search of a point – five in midfield, two deep-lying, and a lone striker – the visitors played well enough to suggest they were capable of completing the double.

The Shots had most of the possession, but their attack was stifled by a well-drilled midfield.

Aldershot, in fact, had not the ghost of a chance in the first half, while Harriers could easily have scored from the sporadic break-outs instigated by livewire Ben Whitfield and pacy ball-carrier Ousmane Fane.

Phil Smith made a scrambling save at the expense of a corner when Arthur Gnahoua’s shot took a wicked deflection and defender Keith Lowe headed over the crossbar from a well-directed corner by Whitfield.

Harriers had an even better opportunity just before half-time. Zaine Francis-Angol’s cross from the left begged to be put away, but Elton Ngwatala, allowed two bites at the cherry, saw his second attempt deflected over the bar.

The strong cross-wind favoured Aldershot in the second half and they played much better. Charlie Walker’s on-target free-kick ricocheted off fellow striker Alfie Pavey for a goal-kick.

Five minutes into the half, Aldershot were in front. Rhys Browne, having initiated the move, played a perfectly weighted pass to release Charlie Walker who struck a left-foot shot with not a lot of power, but with perfect placement, across Dean Snedker and inside the far post.

Omar Beckles, rightly named man of the match after another commanding game in central defence, headed a Dan Walker corner straight at Snedker.

A second goal then would have finished off the Harriers. Instead, as the game opened up, they emerged as a genuine goal threat.

Arthur Gnahoua shot into the side-netting after breaking free on the left. Then Whitfield nicked the ball off Joe Oastler and ran wide before cutting the ball back past Smith and narrowly past the far upright.

A flurry of substitutions left Kidderminster with the nippy pair of Westfield and Evan Garnett up front, but Aldershot’s new-found defensive security stood them in good stead.

A 30-yard drive by Westfield was Harriers’ last shot of defiance, while Aldershot almost doubled their lead when Sean McGinty supplied a hard-hit cross and Charlie Walker, after a trademark darting run into the box, had the ball whipped off his toe.

“We’ll play a lot better and get beaten – it’s as simple as that,” said manager Barry Smith. “So we’ll take the three points. We know we can do better and it was a hard-fought victory.

“To be honest, Kidderminster had the better of the first half and passed the ball better than us. But it comes down to getting the ball in the back of the net and in the last three games we’ve been getting goals.”

Aldershot: Smith; Alexander, Beckles, Oastler, McGinty; D Walker (Richards 87), Gallagher (Stevenson 66), Lathrope, Browne; C Walker, Pavey (Lafayette 74). Subs (not used): Oliver, Thomas. Booked: D Walker, Lathrope, Gallagher.

Kidderminster: Snedker, Hodgkiss (Williams 70), Langmead, Lowe, Francis-Angol, Maxwell, Fane, Whitfield, Ngwatala (McQuilkin 69), Patrick (Garnett 73), Gnahoua. Subs (not used): Brown, Singh.

Referee: Adam Bromley.

Attendance: 1,768 (67 away).

Before kick-off, a crowd of nearly 1,800, including many youngsters taking advantage of free entry (and giving their team enthusiastic vocal support) sang a rousing Happy Birthday to Frank Burt. The club’s oldest supporter at 102 years old, Frank was not well enough to attend the match.