Saturday, February 14, 2004

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers slumped to within a point of the Nationwide League Division Three relegation zone in the wake of this crucial defeat at Southend, with boss Jan Molby banished to the stands after disputing one of two controversial penalty awards.

Southend midfielder Leon Constantine coolly dispatched both spot kicks and Craig Hinton - skipper for the day in the absence of the suspended Wayne Hatswell - scored a late own goal to compound Molby's misery.

With results elsewhere also going ag-ainst Kidderminster, the Aggborough outfit found themselves sucked deeper into the relegation dogfight.

Molby, however, remained bullish about his side's survival prospects, saying: "We'll be kicking off next August in Division Three - there's no doubt in my mind, whatsoever."

His conviction did not blind him to his side's shortcomings on a day when - for once - they created enough chances to have come away with something against their fellow strugglers.

"You've got to score your chances, haven't you?" he said.

"It's the first time for a while where you can point the finger and say we've had good chances and missed them."

The main culprit was Jesper Christiansen, still looking to net his first goal, but who will get fewer better chances than the shot he hit tamely at the keeper and the close range header he put over the crossbar.

Molby was dismissed from the touchline for his comments to the referee's assistant after the first penalty was given when former Harriers front man, Drewe Broughton, went down in the box in the sixth minute.

He said: "I questioned the decision, which, obviously, you aren't allowed to do any more and he decided to send me to the stand."

Just seven minutes into the second half, he was left fuming again as Constantine made it 2-0 from the spot after Matt Gadsby was deemed to have handled the ball.

"I think, considering the referee was three yards away from it, he's done well to allow the assistant referee to make that decision - he was 25 yards away."

He added: "These are big decisions in football, aren't they?"

Craig Hinton turned a Lawrie Dudfield cross-cum-shot over his own goalline to complete the scoring in the 79th minute.

With tough-looking encounters against Swansea and Doncaster looming, Molby is seeking a remedy for his side's barren spell of seven games without a win.

"Since Alex Rae scored in the 89th minute at Aggborough to equalise for Wolves, we haven't put a foot right," he said. "That has to stop - it can't continue."

Harriers now have three home games in their next four outings starting with Molby's former club Swansea's visit to Aggborough on Saturday.

After that they travel to Doncaster on Friday, February 27 before entertaining Northampton Town (March 2) and York City (March 6).