Saturday, September 24, 2005

JOHN Danby and his defence were the toast of Kidderminster Harriers after helping them continue their impressive Nationwide Conference away form.

In stark contrast to recent home woes which have seen two straight defeats to unfancied opposition, Harriers picked up a second win of the season on their travels.

But this time they certainly could not claim to have dominated the possession as fellow mid-table side Gravesend gave them plenty to think about.

Danby made several outstanding saves, while the likes of skipper Mark Jackson and Wayne Hatswell put in giant defensive displays.

And left-back Hatswell also proved he can operate at both ends of the pitch, scoring the second goal in the second-half after Iyseden Christie had fired them ahead with his fifth of the season.

Gravesend's Charlie MacDonald pulled one back -- a reward after being denied by Danby's brilliance previously -- but Harriers were not about to repeat their recent bad habit of conceding crucial late goals.

Harriers go to bottom-of-the-table Crawley tomorrow, hoping for another performance of steel and character to lift them towards the play-off zone.

Player-coach Martin O'Connor, who missed out with a knee injury, said: "They battered and bombarded our goal for at least half-an-hour to 40 minutes straight.

"But the lads have got stuck in with the tackles and headers, and we've proved what that will get us. We're three points better off and we're happy.

"Mark Jackson has come in after the match with a split lip and a broken nose but he got through the 90 minutes and you don't get much more dedicated than that.

"But now if we go to Crawley over-confident even in the slightest then we know what we'll get -- nothing -- and all of Saturday's work will be wasted. Our feet are firmly planted on the floor."

Boss Stuart Watkiss restored Laurie Wilson, Simon Russell, Simon Heslop and Michael Blackwood to the starting line-up with Lee Thompson and Taiwo Atieno relegated to the bench.

Harriers deserved their lead on 25 minutes after a bright start which saw Blackwood and Wilson both go close.

Christie was the man to grab his fifth goal in as many games, firing home following a fine Heslop pass and then a neat one-two with Blackwood.

But the visitors could have conceded a quick equaliser only for Danby to superbly block from Andrew Drury.

Danby, clearly over the errors that presented Grays and Forest Green with goals earlier this month, stunned the crowd with a one-handed save to prevent MacDonald's six-yard bullet header finding the target before the interval.

And Hatswell took advantage by rifling home an impressive finish for the second goal, provided by Blackwood's nod-down from a Wilson free-kick.

Although MacDonald spun to fire in a sublime Gravesend strike on 62 minutes, Harriers held firm and nearly added a third when Terry Fleming's shot was cleared off the line.

HARRIERS: Danby; Evans, Jackson, Burgess, Hatswell; Wilson, Fleming, Heslop; Russell (Burton 88), Christie (Atieno 78), Blackwood (Sheldon 68). Subs not used: Thompson, Hurren.

ATTENDANCE: 1,054.