Friday, September 2, 2005

HONEST Stuart Watkiss admitted Canvey Island had been mugged after Kidderminster Harriers' stunning Nationwide Conference 3-2 victory at Aggborough.

Harriers were a shambles for much of the game but two late strikes -- a Taiwo Atieno penalty and Iyseden Christie's first goal for the club -- broke the Essex boys' hearts.

Lowly Canvey deserved more from the clash and Watkiss acknowledged that after seeing Harriers win their third game in six, leaving them fifth in the table today.

The Kidderminster manager confessed: "They were better than us in every department. I would be absolutely gutted if I was them. We got out of jail.

"I'm not going to defend the display because it was inept really. I thought Canvey were excellent but, as good as they were, we were awful. We mugged them."

Harriers' victory came at a cost as Michael Blackwood's substitute appearance lasted just 14 minutes before a recurrence of his hamstring injury and loan midfielder Simon Heslop took a kick to the ankle.

But Christie came through the game and although there were few good individual displays to rave about, they stuck together as a team to mount yet another home comeback.

Harriers struggled to trouble Canvey with their initial 4-3-3 formation and fell behind on five minutes through Kezie Ibe after Wayne Hatswell was caught in two minds following a rash throw-out by John Danby.

The goalkeeper impressed to deny Ibe on 29 minutes after terribly hesistant defending from Wayne Evans, but Harriers drew level three minutes before the interval.

Heslop released Terry Fleming through the middle and the midfielder ran on to calmly take the ball past Richard McKinney to score.

In the second-half, Danby pushed a crisp Stuart Bimson drive past the post but had no chance with Lee Boylan's 87th-minute penalty following Evans' lazy foul on sub Jon Keeling.

The game hotted up with McKinney seeing red for a foul on Christie, released by Lee Thompson, and Atieno buried the last-minute penalty.

Sub 'keeper Ashley Harrison was left clutching at thin air again in injury-time as Christie accepted a Laurie Wilson pass and let fly with a deflected winner from 22 yards.

HARRIERS: Danby; Evans, Jackson, Burgess, Hatswell; Fleming, O'Connor, Heslop (Wilson 48); Russell (Blackwood 46, Thompson 60), Christie, Atieno. Subs not used: Burton, Sheldon.

ATTENDANCE: 1,842.