Saturday, September 6, 2003

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' slide down the Nationwide League Division Three table continued with a narrow defeat against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

Harriers were condemned to defeat by a beautifully struck goal from substitute Lee Hodges in the 70th minute.

It leaves boss Ian Britton's men below halfway in the table after failing to win in their last four matches.

Bristol-born Britton, however, felt Saturday's match was heading for a boring goalless draw until Hodges pounced just six minutes after being drafted on for Kevin Street.

He said: "It was a poor game. Both sides I think were poor.

"I honestly believed it was just going to end up as a 0-0 boring draw and it should have been. I know it was a good strike to win the game, but not from our point of view.

"We have got a habit of getting people behind the ball but when they have got to come back out again we don't get out quick enough and that's what caused it in the end."

Britton accepted his Harriers side were below par, saying: "I don't think we played very well. It was another test because it was a game we should have taken a point from.

"In our first two games of the season which we won I don't think we played particularly well. I don't think we have played particularly well all this season to be honest.

"In pre-season when we played against so-called better opposition we did really well, but as soon as we come to the league programme we have not played anywhere near as good as we performed last season."

Rovers goalkeeper Kevin Miller was never seriously tested throughout the 90 minutes with Harriers striker Bo Henriksen having the thankless task of battling away on his own up front for most of the match.

Kidderminster, however, were indebted to 'keeper Stuart Brock for not going behind in the 13th minute.

He managed to push a fierce shot from the eye-catching Junior Agogo onto the top of the bar and out for an unproductive corner.

The disappointing entertainment level improved slightly in the second half, but Harriers still looked unlikely to make a breakthrough and again they were grateful to Brock in the 58th minute when he did well to push a Dave Savage header over the bar.

Kidderminster, however, had a great chance to go in front in the 62nd minute when a corner by Graham Ward found Mark Gadsby completely unmarked, but the newcomer miscued his header and the ball went harmlessly wide.

It was a costly miss particularly as Rovers notched what proved to be the winner with Hodges' excellent curling shot from just inside the area.

Harriers tried hard to get back on level terms, but Danny Williams was well off target with a powerful free kick and Henriksen fluffed a good chance in front of goal.