BOSTON O HARRIERS 3

IYSEDEN Christie put himself firmly in the shop window with a match-winning double as Harriers enjoyed a Boston LDV Trophy party on a freezing night at York Street, writes Mat Kendrick.

Rumours doing the rounds among the hardy Harriers fans who made the long trek to Lincolnshire suggested Kidderminster's top scorer was on the brink of a deadline day loan move to nearby Lincoln or another League Two club.

But even if this was not to be Christie's Harriers swansong, he did his chances of a permanent return to the Football League in January no harm whatsoever.

The impressive victory was set up by a deadly three-goal burst in 15 first-half minutes.

Christie bagged two in three minutes and Michael Blackwood was on target soon after.

It was Harriers' second League Two scalp in the competition,having knocked out Darlington in the previous round and they are now through to the Northern Section quarter-finals.

Harriers made one change from the side that drew with York with Wayne Hatswell returning at left-back after a one-match ban .

Terry Fleming was rested following a bout of flu, meaning Blackwood reverted his usual left-wing role, with Simon Heslop switching to central midfield.

There was a place on the bench for ex-Boston man Lee Thomson who left York Street following a pay dispute in the summer.

Hatswell and Christie started the match wondering if it would be their last in Harriers colours after a couple fo League clubs showed pre-deadline interest in Aggborough's highest earners.

Fleming was also rumoured to have attracted a mystery suitor but boss Stuart Watkiss was reluctant to allow any departures unless he could guarantee recruiting replacements.

League Two side Boston were the first to threaten on three minutes when one-time Harriers target Chris Holland scuffed a shot from a good position after the visitors failed to deal with a free-kick to the far post.

Kidderminster replied when Blackwood found space just inside the box but saw his shot charged down by the home defence.

With Watkiss naming a youthful-looking midfield for the second successful game, Russ Penn continued to add bite in the centre of the park.

But the former Scunthorpe trainee picked up his second booking in as many matches for a rash challenge on Boston full-back Lee Canoville.

Midway through the first-half a spot of penalty box pin-ball ended with Wherlan firing a half-volley just inches wide of Dan Lewis' right-hand post after Harreirs again made hard work of defending a free-kick.

Other than a couple of half-hearted efforts from Taiwo Atieno who had been cleared to play in the tie by parent club Walsall, Harriers seemed to be lacking fluency going forward.

But all that changed just before the half-hour mark when a two-goal burst from Christie put the Conference side in contol.

The opening goal arrived on 25 minutes when United keeper Nathan Abbey spilled a fierce low drive from Blackwood and Christie was on hand to touch in the rebound from close range.

And much to the delight of the small band of travelling supporters, the lead was doubled within three minutes when the former Mansfield man beat the offside trap to latch on to a long ball and slide home his eighth goal of the season.

It got even better in the 39th minute when Blackwood escaped down the left and fired in an effort which deflected off a Boston defender and looped over Abbey in to the far corner of the net.

In a desperate attempt to reverse the scoreline, Boston boss Steve Evans made three half-time substitutions with Brad Maylett, Simon Rusk and Jason Lee coming on to try and revive the home side's fortunes.

As Boston tried to salvage something from the game, Lewis was called into action to keep out a powerful volley from Ross and produced another reflex save to turn the same player's curling free-kick around the post.

Then Futcher saw his attempted lob rebound to safety off he post as Boston enjoyed the better of matters after the interval.

The Pilgrims did get the ball in the net midway through the second half but Lee's header was ruled out when Futcher was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box.