Saturday, October 15, 2005

EVEN an Aldershot red card could not inspire Kidderminster Harriers to improve their dismal record against basement sides.

Stuart Watkiss' men yet again fell to a struggler and were guilty of not taking several gilt-edged chances at the Recreation Ground.

And Harriers conceded a scrappy winner to Aldershot's on-loan striker Omari Coleman on 63 minutes.

Simon Heslop and Iyseden Christie were the men to spurn excellent opportunities, with home defender Darren Barnard dismissed for a professional foul 15 minutes from time.

Saturday's disappointment made it a terrible treble, adding to defeats by then bottom-of-the-table sides Crawley and Tamworth over the last month.

Watkiss said: "We've had chances, very good chances, and yet we've not taken them.

"When you miss opportunities like Heslop's in the first-half and Christie's late in the game, they will always come back to haunt you and so it proved.

"We spoke before the game about our need to be a lot more ruthless in front of goal and we've done half the work in creating the chances but without taking them it's work wasted.

"We need to take a hard look at ourselves because for the third time we've played the side at the bottom of the league and we've been beaten.

"With respect to the other teams down there, Aldershot are one or two levels above them and they've just had a bad injury crisis.

"But they are still where they are for a reason -- we should have taken something from this game, at least a point."

Harriers started brightly with Gareth Sheldon firing wide before young midfielder Heslop missed a sitter on eight minutes.

Sheldon, released by Christie, fired into the chest of goalkeeper Nikki Bull but Heslop could only balloon the rebound over the bar from close range.

John Danby was rarely tested in the Harriers goal but was glad to see a strong Gary Holloway header flash wide. But on 63 minutes Holloway was given too much space and time with Danby parrying the midfielder's shot straight to the head of Coleman who headed into an empty net.

Christie was causing problems at the other end, though, forcing a save from Bull and being crudely robbed of a clear run to goal by former Welsh international Barnard who was dismissed.

Harriers could not make the most of the one-man advantage with Christie directing a free header wide from inside the six-yard box.

HARRIERS: Danby; Evans (Thompson 83), Jackson, Burgess, Hatswell; Russell (Atieno 68), O'Connor (Wilson 72), Fleming, Heslop; Christie, Sheldon. Subs not used: Burton, Hurren.

ATTENDANCE: 2,315.