Saturday, November 9, 2002

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' manager Ian Britton criticised his players' disciplinary record after Scott Stamps and Sean Flynn were sent off in Saturday's 2-1 defeat against Carlisle United at Aggborough.

The Cumbrians also had substitute Will McDonagh dismissed in an incident-packed clash in which Harriers wasted a golden chance of sharing the spoils when Ian Foster fluffed a last-gasp penalty.

The defeat ended sixth-placed Kidderminster's four-match winning run in Division Three and left them still seeking their first ever Football League win over Carlisle after five attempts.

The lowly visitors took the lead with a 15th minute penalty by Craig Farrell before defender Scott Stamps added to Harriers difficulties when he was sent off on the stroke of half-time for two bookable offences inside three minutes.

Kidderminster produced a better display after the break and equalised on 66 minutes through skipper Flynn before McDonagh grabbed Carlisle's winner in the 84th minute.

Tempers boiled over in stoppage time when Flynn and McDonagh were ordered off following a flare-up and Foster had his penalty well saved by goalkeeper Matt Glennon. It had been awarded for a shirt-tugging offence by Peter Murphy.

Afterwards Britton blamed his players for letting themselves down.

He said: "The number of bookings and sendings off we are getting is a joke. The bookings we have had for dissent is an absolute disgrace because they can't keep their gobs shut. That's something I'll have to sort out. We need people out on the pitch not sitting in the stands."

Britton also criticised his players for their below-par first half display but felt their battling efforts after the break deserved at least a point.

He said: "First-half, Carlisle were much quicker than us and, more importantly, they wanted it a lot more. I thought we might have learned from our defeat against Macclesfield but we haven't.

"Considering we had ten men I thought we played well second-half. We put them under pressure quite a bit, but it was always going to be difficult because we were chasing the game.

"Hopefully we can learn from it. Usually we have bounced back when we have had a defeat, but too many players had an off-day."

Carlisle went ahead when Lee Ayres tripped Leon Osman and Farrell scored from the spot during a first-half in which Harriers goalkeeper Stuart Brock kept the score down by pulling off fine saves to deny Ryan Baldacchino, Osman and Brian Shelley.

Shortly before Stamps' dismissal, Drewe Broughton had a good chance for Harriers but he fluffed his shot.

Brock also saved another Osman effort in the early stages of the second-half before Flynn scored with a thumping 25 yard drive.

Carlisle, however, notched their third away league win of the season when Richie Foran and Osman set up the chance for McDonagh to score.

Foster's late penalty miss added to the drama which led to Harriers suffering their third league defeat of the season.