Full-time: Kidderminster Harriers 0 Hereford United 1 (From Hereford Times)

4:56pm

JOSH O’Kefe’s early penalty gave the Bulls their first win over Kidderminster in eight attempts.
It was a backs-to-the-wall display for long spells by the United defence in which keeper James Bittner, who also saved a spot-kick, had a superb match.
Hereford boss Martin Foyle made three changes from the side which went down 1-0 to Harriers at Edgar Street on Boxing Day.
The Bulls chief included both of his new signings, Chris Sharp who has joined Hereford for a £3,000 fee from Telford, and Andrew Corbett, a right-back on a month’s loan from Burton Albion.
Josh O’Keefe also returned in central midfield with Will Evans dropping out.
Sam Clucas also failed to figure on the team-sheet with Foyle adopting a 4-4-2 formation which allowed Brian Smikle to play on the left of the four-man midfield.
Kyle Perry retained his place in attack alongside Sharp, whose father Graeme played for Everton and Scotland.
The other surprise concerned the return of leading scorer Ryan Bowman to the substitutes’ bench, just three weeks after being ruled out for a probable six weeks with a knee injury sustained in the FA Cup replay with Cheltenham.
A wild shot from Harriers’ skipper Keith Briggs kicked off the action with the ball flying out for a throw.
Bulls keeper James Bittner then had to stretch to catch a deep cross from Lee Vaughan.
A reckless challenge by Joe Heath on home playmaker Kyle Storer brought the first yellow card of the game with less than three minutes played.
And with Harriers on the attack, O’Keefe was forced to concede the first corner of the game from a dangerous left-wing cross.
Hereford continued to be pressed back and Corbett conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area by fouling Anthony Malbon.
Storer’s shot took two deflections before ending up in Bittner’s arms.
On 12 minutes, Sharp chased a pass from Marley Watkins into the area and went down under Josh Gowling’s challenge.
Referee Ben Toner awarded a rather harsh spot-kick and O’Keefe stepped up to roll the ball home.
Both sides continued to play some nice passing football on a good surface.
But it took a brilliant from Bittner to prevent an equaliser on 21 minutes.
The Bulls keeper showed excellent reactions to turn away a shot from James Vincent with Stefan Stam completing the clearance.
Hereford were generally on the defensive but there was threat from the attack with Pell testing Danny Lewis from distance.
And the Bulls had a great chance of a second on 29 minutes when Corbett’s free-kick picked out the unmarked Luke Graham only for the centre-back to get his bearings all wrong and head yards wide.
On 32 minutes, Graham and Heath both mis-kicked to give away a corner.
But Bittner again came to the rescue with an agile catch from Storer’s cross.
There could have been a second for Hereford on 36 minutes when Corbett and Watkins both attacked a Sharp cross.
While there was a connection, it was weak and Lewis made an easy save.
And another swift break seconds later brought another great chance with Perry’s shot from a Smikle pass plucked out opf the air by Lewis.
At the other end, Bittner could only watch as Stam missed a cross and Jamille Matt’s first-time effort came back off a post.
O’Keefe conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area on 41 minutes but Storer drilled his effort high over.
Another O’Keefe transgression in a similar area brought another shooting chance but Bittner easily grabbed Mickey Demetriou’s cross-shot.
As the seconds ticked away in first-half stoppage-time, Hereford were again fortunate to survive when Matt had a couple of chances which the usually lethal finisher fluffed.
The second-half started with another moment of controversy when Matt took exception to being penalised for a clear foul on Bittner.
Physio Ian Rodgerson had to be called on to administer some treatment to the keeper who waws shortly afterwards in the action, diving to save a low shot from Briggs.
Then referee Lewis evened things up on the penalty front on 54 minutes, pointing to the spot after Demetriou and Corbett collided.
Bittner was up to the challenge, though, diving to save Storer’s too-straight spot-kick.
The Bulls goalkeeper continued to impress with his safe handling.
And the former Exeter man pulled off another excellent save to deny Ricky Shakes on 67 minutes.
Bittner was in the action again on 74 minutes as he stooped to field a powerful Briggs drive.
Harriers continued to dominate the attacking play and, with a succession of corners forced, there was little let-up in the pressure on the Bulls defence.
On a rare break-out, however, Bowman almost grabbed a second when Chey Dunkley just beat him to a cross from Watkins.
As the five minutes of stoppage time got underway, Hereford had a let-off when the otherwise impeccable Bittner failed to gather a corner and his defence had to clear the danger after a massive goal-line scramble.
The pressure continued to build on the Hereford defence but, fortunately, Malbon wasted the best chance when he blazed over right at the death.
Hereford: 4-4-2: Bittner; Corbett, Stam, Graham, Heath; Watkins, Pell, O’Keefe, Smikle (Clist 66); Perry (Bowman 65), Sharp. Subs not used: Townsend, McQuilkin, Hackney.
Kidderminster: 4-1-2-3: Lewis; L Vaughan, Gowling, Dunkley, Demetriou; Vincent; Briggs, Storer (Rowe 70); Shakes, Matt (Blissett 81), Malbon. Subs not used: Williams,Gittings, N Vaughan.
Referee: Ben Toner (Lancashire).
Attendance: 3,674 (including 586 from Hereford).
Goals: O’Keefe pen, 13 min, 0-1.
Yellow-cards: Hereford – Heath, foul, 3 min; O’Keefe, dissent, 53 min; Kidderminster – Briggs, foul, 65 min; Vaughan, foul, 76 min;

4:54pm

The pressure continued to build on the Hereford defence but, fortunately, Malbon wasted the best chance when he blazed over right at the death.

4:52pm

4:52pm

As the five minutes of stoppage time got underway, Hereford had a let-off when the otherwise impeccable Bittner failed to gather a corner and his defence had to clear the danger after a massive goal-line scramble.

4:52pm

As the five minutes of stoppage time got underway, Hereford had a let-off when the otherwise impeccable Bittner failed to gather a corner and his defence had to clear the danger after a massive goal-line scramble.

4:44pm

On a rare break-out, however, Bowman almost grabbed a second when Chey Dunkley just beat him to a cross from Watkins.

4:39pm

Harriers continued to dominate the attacking play and, with a succession of corners forced, there was little let-up in the pressure on the Bulls defence.

4:33pm

Bittner was in the action again on 74 minutes as he stooped to field a powerful Briggs drive.

4:27pm

The Bulls goalkeeper continued to impress with his safe handling.
And the former Exeter man pulled off another excellent save to deny Ricky Shakes on 67 minutes.

4:14pm

Then referee Lewis evened things up on the penalty froint, pointing to the post after Demetriou and Corbett collided.
Bittner was up to the challenge, though, diving to save Storer’s too-straight spot-kick.

4:10pm

The second-half started with another moment of controversy when Matt took exception to being penalised for a clear foul on Bittner.
Physio Ian Rodgerson had to be called on to administer some treatment to the keeper who waws shortly afterwards in the action, diving to save a low shot from Briggs.

3:46pm

As the seconds ticked away in first-half stoppage-time, Hereford were again fortunate to survive when Matt had a couple of chances which the usually lethal finisher fluffed.

3:42pm

Another O’Keefe transgression in a similar area brought another shooting chance but Bittner easily grabbed Mickey Demetriou’s cross-shot.

3:40pm

And another swift break seconds later brought another great chance with Perry’s shot from a Smikle pass plucked out opf the air by Lewis.
At the other end, Bittner could only watch as Stam missed a cross and Jamille Matt’s first-time effort came back off a post.
O’Keefe conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area on 41 minutes but Storer drilled his effort high over.

3:36pm

There could have been a second for Hereford on 36 minutes when Corbett and Watkins both attacked a Sharp cross.
While there was a connection, it was weak and Lewis made an easy save.

3:31pm

On 32 minutes, Graham and Heath both mis-kicked to give away a corner.
But Bittner again came to the rescue with an agile catch from Storer’s cross.

3:28pm

And the Bulls had a great chance of a second on 29 minutes when Corbett’s free-kick picked out the unmarked Luke Graham only for the centre-back to get his bearings all wrong and head yards wide.

3:26pm

Hereford were generally on the defensive but there was threat from the attack with Pell testing Danny Lewis from distance.

3:21pm

But it took a brilliant from Bittner to prevent an equaliser on 21 minutes.
The Bulls keeper showed excellent reactions to turn away a shot from James Vincent with Stefan Stam completing the clearance.

3:13pm

12 minutes, Sharp chased a pass from Marley Watkins into the area and went down under Josh Gowling’s challenge.
Referee Ben Toner awarded a rather harsh spot-kick and O’Keefe stepped up to roll the ball home.

3:07pm

Hereford continued to be pressed back and Corbett conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area by fouling Anthony Malbon.
Storer’s shot took two deflections before ending up in Bittner’s arms.

3:04pm

And with Harriers on the attack, O’Keefe was forced to concede the first corner of the game from a dangerous left-wing cross.

3:02pm

A wild shot from Harriers’ skipper Keith Briggs kicked off the action with the ball flying out for a throw.
Bulls keeper James Bittner then had to stretch to catch a deep cross from Lee Vaughan.
A reckless challenge by Joe Heath on home playmaker Kyle Storer brought the first yellow card of the game with less than three minutes played.

2:43pm

HEREFORD boss Martin Foyle made three changes from the side which went down 1-0 to Harriers at Edgar Street on Boxing Day.
The Bulls chief included both of his new signings, Chris Sharp who has joined Hereford for a £3,000 fee from Telford, and Andrew Corbett, a right-back on a month’s loan from Burton Albion.
Josh O’Keefe also returned in central midfield with Will Evans dropping out.
Sam Clucas also failed to figure on the team-sheet with Foyle adopting a 4-4-2 formation which allowed Brian Smikle to play on the left of the four-man midfield.
Kyle Perry retained his place in attack alongside Sharp, whose father Graeme played for Everton and Scotland.
The other surprise concerned the return of leading scorer Ryan Bowman to the substitutes’ bench, just three weeks after being ruled out for a probable six weeks with a knee injury sustained in the FA Cup replay with Cheltenham.
Hereford: 4-4-2: Bittner; Corbett, Stam, Graham, Heath; Watkins, Pell, O’Keefe, Smikle; Perry, Sharp. Subs not used: Townsend, McQuilkin, Clist, Hackeny, Bowman.
Kidderminster: 4-1-2-3: Lewis; L Vaughan, Gowling, Dunkley, Demetriou; Vincent; Briggs, Storer; Shakes , Matt, Malbon . Subs not used: Williams, Rowe, Blissett, Gittings, N Vaughan.
Referee: Ben Toner (Lancashire).