Saturday, February 22, 2003

IAN Britton ordered his complacent Kidderminster Harriers players in for extra training yesterday after Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Boston United in Division Three.

The manager was left fuming as Harriers failed to continue their good run of form and strengthen their position in the play-off zone.

Instead, they dropped back out of the top seven from fourth place and could have no complaints about their heaviest league defeat of the season.

Harriers were so often second to the ball against last season's Conference champions who battled away for three vital points in their bid to beat the drop.

Britton will wonder how a fine spell of four wins and a draw from the previous six games, including a 5-2 thrashing of Exeter in midweek, can have turned into Saturday's debacle.

He admitted: "I got them in for training on Sunday as a result of this performance which is unusual for me as I don't believe in bringing them in on days off.

"Too many of our players thought all they had to do was just turn up and everything would be all right.

"It's not the first time this has happened where we have put a run together and then let ourselves down.

"They can't complain they were tired because I gave them enough time off during the week, in fact they trained on Friday like they played at Boston which is no coincidence.

"I've told the players if they haven't got the enthusiasm at this stage of the season then they shouldn't be in the game."

Harriers could have taken an early lead but there was only going to be one winner after Richard Logan put Boston ahead on 24 minutes with a soft goal.

Drewe Broughton, Dion Scott and Bo Henriksen were all close to breaking the deadlock but they did not match Logan's finish. The Boston forward was presented with the chance when Craig Hinton's clearance was charged down by Peter Duffield and he made no mistake with an accurate low shot.

Midfielder Tom Bennett twice threatened for Boston before they added a second a minute before half-time through Simon Weatherstone's lethal half-volley from a Duffield flick-on.

Keeper Fraser Digby kept Harriers in the game, saving well in a one-on-one with Liam George, but the visitors did not post an effort on target until the 70th minute.

Lee Ayres' hanging header was easily held by Boston's Paul Bastock who then brilliantly tipped over Sean Parrish's fierce volley seven minutes later.

Harriers were down to 10 men by this time as Dean Bennett limped off with three substitutes already on the pitch.

Boston sealed a deserved victory on 83 minutes when Digby's goal-kick was headed back into the danger zone by Tom Bennett and Logan brushed aside Ayres to score easily.