KIDDERMINSTER Harriers boss Phil Brown called for supporters who threaten match officials to be banned.
Harriers clinched their first National League North win in a month to re-ignite their promotion bid.
Kidderminster won 2-0 at Alfreton – defender Reiss McNally putting Kidderminster ahead after 34 minutes – and Amari Morgan-Smith netting from the spot with eight minutes left.
But Brown revealed later that one of the assistants had been involved in an exchange with a fan after Harriers had been awarded a spot-kick – followed by a long delay before it could be taken.
The Harriers boss told the club’s official YouTube channel: “Unfortunately, there was an incident with the linesman who said he was threatened by one of the supporters.
“That kind of thing should be banished from the game – the lad needs banning, it’s as simple as it gets.”
Eventually, skipper Morgan-Smith scored from the spot and Brown praised the player’s attitude to his game.
The Harriers boss said: “I felt that if Amari was having to wait too long then we should change the penalty taker.
“I was concerned. But there was no taking the ball off him.
🧊 Skipper kept his cool from the spot…#Harriers 🦅 pic.twitter.com/MHGZEYwxdC
— Kidderminster Harriers 🦅 (@khfcofficial) February 15, 2025
“True to a man, and the captain he’s been this season, he held his nerve, put it down the middle of the goal – a great penalty if you think about all that went on. He stayed composed.
“It sums him up as a man, I was first at the hotel in the morning, he was second and we had a good chat. He has the club at heart.”
The game almost did not go ahead due to heavy rain – but Brown was adamant it should be played to avoid any fixture pile up at a crucial stage of the season.
Brown added: “We went toe to toe with the referee and said we wanted the game on.
“If we didn’t, then we’d run short of Tuesdays and game availability. So I’m glad we played it.
“But it was good to see a return to the clean sheet mentality.
“Work rate is a pre-requisite and we could’ve been more goals.
“I think the fact that we went to Chester in midweek and got a draw, that gave us the belief that we could get a result at a place like that. But Alfreton was a totally different prospect – now we have to take that mentality to Marine on Tuesday.”
