Saturday, March 11, 2006

GOAL-shy Kidderminster Harriers certainly did not like to be beside the seaside as Morecambe comfortably picked up all three points in the two sides' Nationwide Conference clash.

The promotion-chasing Shrimps had little trouble in seeing-off Mark Yates' men, who drew a blank for the fourth time in their last six outings.

Yates admitted his frustration at his side's lack of firepower -- they have scored just twice since top-scorer Iyseden Christie was sold to Rochdale on transfer deadline day -- but added he is confident the goals will come soon.

He said: "There is nothing we can do about the lack of goals at the moment other than work hard.

"On a Saturday, we are having a little bit of a problem scoring goals, but it will come, I am sure of that."

Midfielder Gareth Sheldon, who played as a striker at Christie Park, is Harriers' top-scorer at the moment with just three goals and he had a guilt-edged chance to break the deadlock when he was put in by strike partner Lee Thompson.

However, with just 'keeper Steven Drench to beat, Sheldon dallied too long on the ball and allowed Danny Blackburn to get back and hack the ball to safety.

That was Harriers' best chance of the match, and they were made to pay for wasting it just seven minutes later.

Shrimps' right winger Garry Thompson, who was a thorn in Harriers' side all day, burst down the flank and centred the ball for top-scorer Michael Twiss, who scored following a goal-mouth scramble.

The former Manchester United reserve teamer made no mistake in swivelling on the ball and drilling it past John Danby, despite the Kidderminster defence's best efforts to clear. A similar piece of clinical finishing from substitute striker Wayne Curtiss wrapped-up the win for Morecambe.

Curtiss hammered the ball home after being set up by a clever pass from Twiss.

Terry Fleming and Michael Blackwood did combine well to set up Francino Francis mid-way through the second-half, but the chance was quickly dealt with by the home defenders.

That chance aside, fifteenth-placed Harriers did not look like scoring at all.

Yates added: "We've got to improve on performances like that, that's for sure.

"We've got to be better to face Aldershot on Saturday because the performance out there wasn't up to scratch and the players know that.

"We had plenty of chances at 0-0 to score and got something from the game, but we didn't take them. We made two sloppy mistakes and conceded goals."