6:09pm Saturday 6th March 2010
Eastbourne 0
Harriers 0
HARRIERS were left cursing the woodwork as they were denied victory in East Sussex.
Steve Burr's troops could not find the back of the net in a scrappy game at Priory Lane in a draw which did not suit either side.
Harriers needed all three points to keep up with the pack of sides chasing the Blue Square Premier play-offs, while this point did little to ease Eastbourne's relegation worries.
Now they have lost ground on the likes of Rushden, Mansfield and Luton, who all won.
Despite not being at their best, the visitors could have won the game and saw an effort cleared off the line and the woodwork deny them three-times in the second half.
Eastbourne, who had suffered a 6-0 home thrashing by Stevenage mid-week, started brightly and caught the away side cold.
Neil Jenkins should have done better in the first minute when he shot wide, Jamie Taylor's lob was off target, while keeper Ross Atkins did well to rush off his line and deny Borough to-scorer Liam Enver-Marum.
Harriers improved as the first half wore on and Adam Boyes, making his first start for Harriers since joining on-loan from Scunthorpe, was particularly impressive.
The all-action hitman swapped passes with Dean Bennett before firing a firm effort at keeper Danny Knowles.
The away side could have scored late in the first half, after more good work by Boyes.
The forward chased down Marcus Bignot's long ball and forced a save from Knowles. The ball fell to Brian Smikle six-yards out and the forward fired a shot goalwards only for Ben Austin to clear it off the line.
Boyes almost fired Harriers ahead minutes into the second half when he dug out a curling effort from the edge of the box but his effort crashed off the bar.
Eastbourne were denied by the woodwork when the unmarked Matt Crabb's volley hit the upright.
Harriers though took control of the game and pushed the hosts back.
Left-back Lee Baker fired in a low effort that took a deflection off an Eastbourne player and a post.
Gavin Caines was shown a yellow card for a foul on Taylor just outside the box. Crabb's free-kick then struck the bar.
But Bennett, who had stabbed a first-half effort wide, thought he won the match in the 91st minute.
A Harriers corner wasn't properly cleared and fell to the midfielder 20-yards out but his fine effort came off the bar.
Harriers will have to shake-off their disappointment in time for their FA Trophy semi-final first leg at home to Stevenage on Saturday.
Harriers: Atkins 7; Courtney 7; Baker 7; Caines 6; Riley 6; McPhee 6; Bennett 7; Knights 6 (Goodfellow, 62); Smikle 6; Bignot 6 (Matthews, 75); Boyes 8 (Lawrie, 75).
Unused substitutes: Singh; Sharpe.
Eastbourne: Knowles; Jenkins; Smart; Austin; Pullan (Rowe, 34); Armstrong; Enver-Marum (Atkin, 84); M Crabb; Taylor; Benjamin (N Crabb, 90); Elphick.
Unused substitutes: Johnson; Weatherstone.
Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Attendance: 913
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