Calum McIntyre’s men earned a memorable victory on the road at Kidderminster Harriers to secure a place in the play-off final Kyle Morrison scored the opening goal for the hosts as he bundled home from a well-delivered corner The Blues grabbed a deserved equaliser through Dylan Mottley-Henry before Declan Weeks secured the win with a crisp half-volley that defied Christian Dibble in the home goal as both sides struggled to flow in the windy conditions but Nathan Woodthorpe almost forced a chance when he combined with Declan Weeks from a free-kick but Kurt Willoughby couldn’t connect with the cross The hosts took the lead in the 18th minute through central defender Kyle Morrison who bundled past Jimmy Storer at the back post after a well-delivered corner from David Worrall Chester settled after the opener though and started to wrestle back control of the contest Successive corners spelt danger on Dibble’s goal but the home defence dealt with the aerial threat well in the first-half The pressure paid off for the Seals though as Dylan Mottley-Henry equalised from close-range Connor Woods curled a dangerous effort towards goal that Dibble could only palm into the path of Mottley-Henry who was left with a simple finish Kidderminster almost regained the lead in the dying embers of the half after a fantastic move but Max Kouyhar drilled his low effort wide from around 12 yards Kurt Willoughby also has his first opportunity of the clash in additional time but his powerful strike flew just wide of the post The Seals flew out of the blocks in the second period and almost took the lead in sensational fashion as Iwan Murray smashed an effort towards goal from 25 yards out that dipped and forced Dibble into an acrobatic save Murray was involved once again just a few minutes later as he earned a golden opportunity The 24-year-old was tripped inside the box by Morrison and Jonathan Maskrey pointed to the spot Willoughby stepped up from 12 yards and struck with power but Dibble got down well and pushed to safety to preserve Kidderminster’s parity The Harriers’ top scorer Ashley Hemmings came close with the hosts’ first chance of the second period but his shot flew wide in comfortable fashion Dan Mooney created a positive impact after he was introduced in the 70th minute as the number 29 stretched the home defence and threatened Dibble on a number of occasions with his pace in behind the back line a moment that sent 1,300 travelling Seals into absolute bedlam behind the goal who arrowed a well-struck half-volley into the bottom corner A brilliant strike that gave Dibble no chance and put the Blues within touching distance of the play-off final are a community benefit society operating under the name of Chester Football Club and are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority The club is fan owned and does not have any major shareholders Frustrated boss Phil Brown accused Kidderminster Harriers’ players of crumbling under pressure after their season ended in play-off defeat to Chester who squandered the chance to win the National League North title by losing at Southport on the final day of the regular season were beaten 2-1 at Aggborough in Sunday’s semi-final to cap a miserable end to the campaign Former Kiddy midfielder Declan Weeks fired in the winner eight minutes from time to earn the visitors a deserved victory over a home team which failed to build on Kyle Morrison’s 18th minute opener And Brown delivered a damning assessment of his team’s character in the wake of a hugely disappointing finish to the campaign He said: “You can praise the opposition but you have to give criticism to your own “The criticism comes in the way of being able to handle themselves on the biggest stage “Those big stages are always the last few games of the season That is the part I am going to have to address in the close season.” fighting to win promotion back to the National League Premier 12 months after being relegated were given the perfect start when Morrison converted David Worrall’s corner Dylan Mottley-Henry levelling the scorers after goalkeeper Chrisitan Dibble could only parry Connor Woods’ shot into his path Dibble redeemed himself by saving Kurt Willoughby’s penalty early in the second half but Weeks then bagged the winner with a precise shot inside the post with Harriers unable to muster a chance through 10 minutes of stoppage time Brown said: “When we got our noses in front I thought we had enough composure to get us to half-time in front at least “We played well for 30-35 minutes and then just succumbed to pressure what the opposition has thrown at us but more importantly the basics of the game these moments come along when the pressure is on and they get questioned If you don’t step up to the plate in these moments That is what has happened these last couple of games.” Asked what he had told his players after the final whistle Brown said: “People expect words of wisdom but there aren’t any words of wisdom “When the pressure was cranked up we didn’t respond “We cranked it on ourselves by winning 12 out of 14 games or whatever it was We were responsible for taking things to the last game of the season “Then to not conduct yourself in the manner you have done A professional footballer will always be judged on pressure situations That for me is pressure and to have players who can't handle that is something I will need to look at for next season." Kidderminster Harriers host Chester in a game that'll determine who'll be playing in the Promotion Final and a huge crowd will see it Chester sold out their 1,2000 tickets in a matter of minutes as their team will need them with no Tom Peers to call upon -and of course in keeping Ashley Hemmings quiet Here’s everything you need to know about the big game The story so far:Can Kidderminster Harriers get over the huge blow of losing the title last weekend In their hands after a great run put them in control of their own destiny a sucker-punch from Southport provided yet another title twist Chester were edgy as they saw off Buxton and they’ll need to be better to make the final but the league’s youngest boss wants to show the one with most experience that age is no barrier to success The leading goalscorers: Kidderminster Harriers:Ashley Hemmings: 30Amari Morgan-Smith: 13Maziar Kouhyar: 12 Chester:Tom Peers: 19Harrison Burke: 12Connor Woods: 8 Head-to-head:03/09/24: Kidderminster Harriers 1-1 Chester11/02/25: Chester 1-1 Kidderminster Harriers Kidderminster Harriers: “We can talk long and hard about what happened last week it doesn't really matter now we've just got to focus and get on with what's in front of us is that this wonderful league has given us a home tie “Hopefully at the end of the game on Sunday Chester: “ I don’t think we performed at our best on Wednesday but I thought we showed what’s required to get through these knockout games recover and get ready to do it all over again “Play-off games aren't filled with a lot of quality Pitch Hero Ltd Registered in ENGLAND | WF3 1DR | Company Number - 636 1033 Hear from Phil Brown following Sunday’s Play-Off Semi-Final defeat against Chester This article is about: Match Introducing Sunday’s Match Sponsor… Privacy Policy  -  Terms of Use  -  Contact  -  Safeguarding Policy Kidderminster Harriers Football Club Limited Website hosted and maintained by Swof Media. The Blues travel to Aggborough on Sunday afternoon with a chance to build on Wednesday’s dramatic Eliminator success over Buxton and reach the National League North play-off final The midweek win saw Iwan Murray open the scoring before a close-range finish from Tommy Elliott forced the contest into extra-time Harrison Burke found the answer for the Seals though as he struck a powerful half-volley into the corner of the net in the 108th minute to claim victory Calum McIntyre’s men will be backed by a sold out away end in Worcestershire on Sunday after 1,300 Seals secured their tickets in less than an hour for the clash Kidderminster saw an opportunity to lift the title slip through their grasp on the final day of the regular season when they were defeated at Southport Phil Brown’s side were on a fantastic run of 13 outings without defeat before they travelled to Haig Avenue but goals either side of half-time courtesy of Tom Moore and Danny Philliskirk were enough for all three points This allowed Brackley Town to move into top spot thanks to a comfortable success over Farsley Celtic whilst Scunthorpe United also rose above the Harriers with a win over Hereford Our two meetings with the Carpetmen this season have both been tight encounters that have culminated in 1-1 draws The away trip saw a late penalty from Charlie Caton earn us a point before Burke’s scoring form continued in the home tie as he grabbed the opening goal in the sixth minute Ex-Premier League boss Phil Brown has been the man tasked with an immediate return to the National League The 65-year-old was appointed in January 2024 but failed to save the club from relegation to the sixth tier as they finished seven points adrift from safety Brown’s most notable stint came at Hull City between 2006-2010 a stretch which saw the Tigers earn promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time This came after a memorable play-off victory over Bristol City at Wembley netted the sole goal with a spectacular volleyed effort as well as a stint in India which saw him manage Pune City and Hyderabad FC Ashley Hemmings has been a dangerous weapon for the Worcestershire-based outfit all campaign and sits top of the National League North scoring charts Hemmings has bagged 30 goals throughout the campaign with one coming against the Blues in the 1-1 draw at the Deva Stadium Kidderminster’s brilliant end-of-season form coincided with Hemming’s best period of the campaign in March and April The 34-year-old netted hat-tricks in the wins over South Shields and also scored crucial goals in the wins over Brackley Town and Rushall Olympic Hemmings has been at Aggborough for almost six years since he made the switch from AFC Fylde in October 2019 following a long career that has seen him feature for a plethora of clubs including Dagenham & Redbridge Kidderminster Harriers | W27 D8 L11 | F86 A37 | Pos 3rd Rushall Olympic (A) | W 2-1 | Scorers: Ashley Hemmings Hereford (H) | W 5-1 | Scorers: David Worral Southport (A) | L 2-1 | Scorers: Reiss McNally Chester FC | W25 D12 L9 | F73 A45 | Pos: 4th Marine (H) | W 2-1 | Scorers: Harrison Burke King’s Lynn Town (A) | W 3-0 | Scorers: Kurt Willoughby The address for the ground is Aggborough Stadium **AWAY TICKETS FOR THIS GAME ARE NOW SOLD OUT – THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!** Aggborough is cashless throughout the stadium Please do not travel if you don’t have a ticket for this game There will be a significant security and police operation on the day Free commentary on Seals Live via our Match Centre: CLICK HERE All Play-Off games are being streamed LIVE on DAZN: CLICK HERE Match Updates on our Twitter/X page: CLICK HERE HT/FT Updates on Facebook and Instagram: CLICK HERE A full time match report on ChesterFC.com: CLICK HERE Around 25 intricate model railways have been on display at a station on the Severn Valley Railway line Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 The annual Model Railway Weekend returned to The Engine House in Highley on Saturday and Sunday Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox with the Shropshire Star’s free newsletter Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox with the Express & Star’s free newsletter Visitors travelling the heritage line were able to see some of UK’s most popular layouts on display at the Highley Visitor Centre The railway models came from exhibitors who travelled from across the country to display their layouts The displays were set out amongst the full-size locomotives and carriages on display in The Engine House including ‘Gordon’ the blue engine and 7819 ‘Hinton Manor’ Ian Redman returned to the event from Sussex with a 30ft model Owen Jenkins said: "The basis is the lay-out is 50 years old It was a previous member who did it and did it as a lay-out called “loose chickens” "He sadly passed away and we were asked to clear out his shed and discovered it there We have brought it back to life and done a sympathetic restoration because I wanted to keep the original lay-out "I then re-named the lay-out after Roy and got it back out into the public perception Hopefully it will go on for another 20 or 30 years." Severn Valley Railway is currently only running from Kidderminster to Hampton Loade due to a landslip earlier this year which has made the rest of the line to Bridgnorth unpassable A look ahead to Sunday’s action… By Matty Paddock - 02/05/2025 HARRIERS and Chester will battle it out for a place in the National League North Promotion Final on Sunday Our visitors come into the game cock-a-hoop after an outstanding Eliminator win in midweek Netting early against Buxton on Wednesday night they were pegged back by the Bucks and the game was sent into extra time At that stage the Seals had too much for the visitors to handle and they powered through thanks to Harrison Burke’s strike That 2-1 victory sealed their place in Sunday’s semi in to which they will come on the back of just one defeat in ten games That set-back was against Scunthorpe in March – the Iron will await the visitors of Sunday’s game having beaten Chorley 4-2 in their semi-final on Saturday it’s five wins on the spin for Chester who are hitting their stride at just the right time having earlier in the campaign topped the league table This season’s two meetings between Sunday’s outfit yield little answer as to what’s to come at the weekend Tope Obadeyi headed Harriers into the lead in the game at Aggborough only for Charlie Caton’s penalty to level matters and ensured things ended all square It was the reverse in the return game; February’s meeting at the Deva seeing Burke put the hosts in front with a sixth-minute header before Ashley Hemmings equalised the previous nine clashes between Harriers and this incarnation of Chester have seen the Reds narrowly edge the head-to-head with goals a regular feature – the two have produced four or more in a game between them on eight occasions Harriers Brown and goalkeeper Christian Dibble were on media duty ahead of Sunday’s game – their pre-match interviews are both available to watch now Kick-off at Aggborough on Sunday is at 3:00pm A limited number of match tickets remain available for purchase by home fans only please make contact with the Ticket Office in person or by calling 01562 823 931 The Office will be open from 10:30am on Sunday for sales in person and by phone If you have yet to purchase a ticket as a home fan please do so by one of these methods by 1:00pm on Sunday Sales will end at this time and no further tickets will be available by any method tickets are specifically allocated and feature a unique ID that cannot be re-used Anyone purchasing a match ticket remains responsible for it Please do not travel to the ground as  a Chester fan without one Please note there will be  significant security and police operation in place on Saturday This will include the use of pyrotechnic detection dogs and additional safety measures in order to ensure all supporters attending Sunday’s game can do so safely See further supporter conduct information below Live music will once again be available to enjoy in the Fan Zone for home fans from 1pm Join us in the Fan Zone adjacent to the club shop to listen to Kev Donaldson from The Murmur Please assist us in avoiding delays by arriving at the ground on Sunday as early as possible and entering via turnstiles Aggborough Stadium and all of its outlets are cashless – we cannot accept cash as payment under any circumstances Are you ready for our weekly quiz and the world’s worst football jokes? Or extensive opposition coverage, Harriers news, views and reports? It’s all in The Harrier and, if you want to guarantee your copy or can’t make the match itself, you can still order a copy online. There’s FREE UK mainland delivery and the issue will drop on your doorstep in the day or two following the match travel to the game without needing to park to avoid disappointment or disruption Please also park with consideration of our local residents Aggborough Stadium is a strictly no smoking venue – this means smoking including the use of vapes and e-cigarettes Some flashing light sequences from entertainment shows may cause discomfort for photosensitive viewers. Read more on how to manage photosensitivity Harriers again strongly supports The National League and Football Association in delivering their antisocial conduct message Please review the following information before visiting Aggborough and rememeber that your entry into Aggborough Stadium is subject to the acceptance of the National League’s Ground regulations and adherence to the Smoke No Joke policy Both documents are clearly visible and available on entry turnstiles but are also available for download below we would like to remind supporters that the club will not tolerate supporter misconduct of any kind Please support Kidderminster Harriers responsibility Should you be concerned by any of the above conduct you may witness to the Club Office or Safety Officer or by e-mail to security@harriers.co.uk Kidderminster Harriers were found wanting at the finish Eight days after letting slip the National League North title on the final day their promotion hopes and season were ended for good by a play-off semi-final defeat to Chester Former Harrier Declan Weeks fired in the winner eight minutes from time to settle a frenetic and tight contest at a sold-out Aggborough in favour of the visitors Harriers were left wondering what might have been They led early through Kyle Morrison’s goal only to be pegged back by Dylan Mottley-Henry’s equaliser Goalkeeper Christian Dibble then prevented Chester from taking the lead when he saved Kyle Willoughby’s penalty it was the visitors who asked more questions and through Weeks they got the winner to set up a final at Scunthorpe on May 18 the next fortnight will only be a time for bitter reflection which saw them drop from first to third in the standings The play-offs offered a second chance to secure an immediate return to the National League Premier but they were unable to take it Other than picking Morrison’s 18th minute opener out of the net visiting goalkeeper Jimmy Storer was rarely troubled though it was Harriers who were delivering most of the former urged on by the bulk of the capacity crowd Reece Devine on the left wing was getting through plenty of hard work and it was his bustling run which led to the corner from which Harriers took the lead David Worrall whipped in the delivery and Morrison arrived to meet it at the far post Chester were struggling to get into the game and it was only on the half-hour mark they finally began putting some sustained pressure on the hosts Connor Woods shot from distance and Dibble could only parry as it dipped toward goal Mottley-Henry turning the rebound into the empty net That made both goals simple conversions but otherwise chances were thin on the ground fine work from Zak Brown created one but Maz Kouhyar could only stab his pull back wide of the post It was the visitors on the front foot at the start of the second half the diminutive Murray finding space and unleashing a shot from 25 yards out which Dibble tipped over the bar Murray was becoming an increasing menace and eight minutes after the restart won the penalty when he was caught by Morrison Willoughby stepped up but Dibble guessed correctly diving to his right to parry the spot-kick away If there had been any murmurings about the keeper’s culpability for the equaliser Hemmings lashed a powerful shot wide from distance at the other end but clear cut chances were again at a premium Chester sent on Dan Mooney up front and twice in a minute he nearly got in behind On the first occasion Dibble was quick off his line to clear the second relieved to see the forward flick the ball past him but wide of the post A rare slick move then saw Worrall chip in a cross for Kouhyar but the latter’s header looped wide A cross was cleared only as far as Weeks and from the right-hand side of the box he fired a precise shot beyond Dibble’s dive and just inside the far post Yet Harriers could not fashion a single chance to level Instead it was Dibble who prevented Mooney from putting things beyond doubt when he denied him one-on-one at the death Chester FC will visit Kidderminster Harriers in the National League North Play-Off Semi Final on Sunday 4th May Tickets will be sold by Kidderminster Harriers FC we will not be selling any tickets for this game Due to the quick turnaround of Sunday’s fixture there will be no priority windows for this game There will be no sales on the day of the game The Hipkiss Express will be running Chester FC supporter buses for this game with coaches departing the Deva on Sunday at 10.45am Please call 01244 371376 to book either today or tomorrow (10am-4pm) Kidderminster Harriers Football Club Aggborough Stadium Marjorie arrived at the family home in High Street just as the church bells opposite were ringing out for victory During the war years church bells had been silenced to be sounded only as a warning of invasion "It was a wonderful day," recalled Mrs Corns "At three o'clock Mr Churchill began his speech announcing the end of the war I started in labour and she was born just as the victory bells rang our So why wasn't a child born on this special day given a more appropriate name she might have been called Victoria," says her mother "but I had promised to name her after Marjorie "But we gave her the middle name of May to remember the month." VE Day for Joe Gough came deep inside Germany the teleprinter suddenly clattered and Joe stared in wonder as the most important print-out of the war arrived It was from General Eisenhower at the Allies' supreme headquarters The words that millions of servicemen had waited six years to hear had arrived: "Effective immediately Offensive operations Allied Expeditionary Force will cease." I saw the signal before anyone else," recalls Joe at his home in Wolverhampton "We had an idea that something was coming but we didn't know when." His unit had been fighting towards Berlin ever since D-Day-plus-3 British soldiers found themselves in every corner of the world But none had a stranger job than Lieutenant Ken Jackson his battalion returned to British Somaliland to be disbanded leaving the young officer facing the boring prospect of barrack life in Nairobi "So instead I volunteered to serve with the Somalia Gendarmerie an Army-controlled glorified band of units keeping order and holding at bay the local brigands." VE-Day found him with his fellow officer Gerry Stagg so there was little contact with the outside world maybe,they would supply our troops in Burma properly for a change." For Ron Wood and his comrades on tank transporters The Royal Army Service Corps unit had followed the fighting from D-Day across France and into Germany and witnessed the last major offensive by Hitler's once-dreaded Luftwaffe "A heavy formation of jets attacked the area," he recalls at his Wolverhampton home Get your tickets now for Sunday’s epic… By Matty Paddock - 01/05/2025 HARRIERS will face Chester in Sunday’s play-off semi-final in National League North The Seals edged out Buxton in a thrilling Eliminator on Wednesday night they’ll travel to Aggborough this Sunday 4th May 2025 at 3pm to determine who will advance this season’s Promotion Final like other FA Cup and Trophy matches this season is an all-pay match meaning Season Ticket holders cannot use their cards to gain entry and must purchase a ticket Seats and terrace spacing for Season Ticket holders was held back in reservation until 4pm on Wednesday but all tickets are now on general sale Admission will be as per our normal match league admission prices. As ever, please purchase match tickets online as this is the quickest and easiest method to secure your place. Tickets can be purchased online so please do not wait to purchase in person at the stadium Ticket Office as away fans cannot purchase in person and must be purchased online in line with the above – tickets for opposition fans will be available via a link provided by their club Should you be unable to purchase online or require any assistance at any time please get in touch via telephone on 01562 823 931 or visit us at the Aggborough Ticket Office Aggborough Suite hospitality will again be available for this high-profile fixture at a reduced price of £85 per person In booking a package you’ll receive your match ticket, reserved behind the dugouts in the EBC Group Main Stand, a two-course pre-match meal, cheese board, half-time tea and coffee, match day programme and the chance to watch the post-match Man of the Match presentations. To book, simply e-mail commercial@harriers.co.uk