Frosty reception for floundering Harriers (From Worcester News)

Frosty reception for floundering Harriers

11:02am Thursday 7th January 2010 in

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Rushden and Diamonds 2
Harriers 1

HARRIERS were left ruing a lacklustre first half as a predatory brace by Lee Tomlin ensured that play-off rivals Rushden and Diamonds won out in a chilly Bank Holiday Monday fixture.

On a day where icy winds cut through the Northamptonshire side's impressive but now fading ground, the 200 strong travelling army of Harriers fans were not sufficiently warmed by their sides poor performance in the first half.

It also allowed a team vying with the Aggborough outfit for that all-important play-off to leap-frog over them.

While a setback, Harriers are still very much in the running for the end of season promotion battle but it may have a serious affect on the future of caretaker manager John Finnigan, who watched frustrated from the sidelines as his side floundered in a poor first half.

The visitors had been second best and looked vulnerable to Diamonds' thrusting counter-attacks. However, it took an error by keeper Dean Coleman to gift the enigmatic Coleman the lead in the 16th minute.

The keeper rushed out of his area to intercept a long ball forward, only to use his hand to bat it into the path of the Rushden forward, who calmly skipped away and finished coolly.

The keeper avoided a booking for his handball as the referee allowed Rushden to continue their raid.

It could have been worse but a combination of poor finishing and good saves by Coleman, desperate to atone for his error, kept Harriers in the game.

Rushden hitman Craig Farrell saw a effort saved by the keeper after good work by Kurt Robinson, and also stretched to get a hand to Mark Byrne's long-range effort as Harriers were pushed back by in the first half.

But Harriers' caretaker boss took decisive action in the second half, taking off the ineffective Aaron Farrell and bringing on burly front man Damian Spencer in the second half.

His arrival sparked the visitors into life and Dean Bennett saw a 20-yard effort fly wide.

Despite the improvement, Harriers paid the price for giving the ball away in midfield and failing to clear their lines in the 56th minute, while the ball fell to the inspired Tomlin 25-yards out.

The striker skipped past one marker and hit a thunderbolt which gave the stretching Coleman no chance as it arrowed into the back of the net.

To the away side's credit, they rallied and ensured a tense end to the game when Robbie Matthews squeezed a low shot between Diamonds keeper Dale Roberts and his right-hand post, after a barn-storming run and pass from defender Martin Riley.

Now infused with belief, Harriers pushed for a leveller to maintain their excellent record against Diamonds. The chance for a leveller came in the 80th minute when Brian Smikle ghosted into the area, unfortunately Matthews couldn't fire in a shot and Bennett's firm effort was well-saved by the alert Roberts.

Their inability to find a goal ensured Harriers suffered their first league defeat to Rushden since 2003 After the game, Bennett, who is helping Finnigan and captain Chris McPhee with the coaching, felt the players had let down the caretaker.

He said: "It's not gloom and doom, we're just off the play-offs we've got three home games in January which are all winnable.

"We've not given up, it's about the players not managers and as long as we keep believing we should be alright.

"I'm disappointed for John [Finnigan], I feel we let him down the way we started against Rushden.

"He did everything right, he prepared meticulously, we knew what was going to happen, so we've let him and ourselves down.

"Mark Yates brought be back here and I loved my time with him but you've got to move on, you can't dwell on it."

Harriers: Coleman 6; Courtney 7; Riley 7; Caines 7; Andrew 7; Smikle 6; Bennett 7; McPhee 8; Knights 6; Farrell 5 (Spencer, 46); Matthews 7. Unused substitutes: Singh; Dolman; Baker; Hayward.

Rushden: Roberts; Osano; Robinson; Porter (Wolleaston, 55); Stuart; Downer; O'Connor; Farrell; Tomlin (Louis, 83); Byrne; Terry. Unused substitutes: Day; McNamara; Akurang.

Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire). Attendance: 1,425 (205)