Saturday, October 22, 2005

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' boss Stuart Watkiss admits he is getting fed up with the same old story but this was no regular defeat.

The limp 1-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round exit at Southport means cash-strapped Harriers miss out on £10,000 prize money.

If they had kept their place in the hat for Saturday evening's draw, the resulting home tie with Woking could have really set the pound signs spinning.

As it is, Harriers' Jekyll and Hyde performances are becoming tiresome -- and they are costing the club money both in the cup and in terms of people through the turnstiles.

This will not have been lost on the Harriers board and Watkiss' mid-table side have a big match at home to rivals Hereford United on Saturday.

A defeat at Aggborough would surely increase the pressure on the Harriers manager whose team seem to be in need of a few fresh faces.

Only emergency loan signings are allowed outside of the transfer window but the alarm bells are ringing ever louder and the cash will have to be stumped up from somewhere.

Watkiss admitted: "It's a blow to the club, a big blow, that's for sure. We were dependant on this result and a run in the cup to bring in some extra revenue.

"This will definitely have an effect on the club and things will now be that little bit more difficult for us."

Harriers were sunk by a 69th-minute winner by defender Chris Lane, ironically an ex-Hereford player.

And they did not make the most of several first-half chances in a performance that desperately lacked a clinical cutting edge.

Watkiss compared the display to the one that resulted in a 1-0 defeat at then bottom-of-the-table side Aldershot the previous weekend.

He said of his inconsistent team, who beat Darlington 2-1 in the LDV Vans Trophy last Tuesday: "Several players went missing and, to be honest, it's becoming a bit of a habit.

"We're going to places and looking relatively sound defensively but when things get into that final third we just lose that extra bit of quality.

"I find myself coming out to the press and saying exactly the same things -- because the exact same things keep happening.

"It's a carbon copy of the game at Aldershot really. We've totally dominated the first-half without any scares or hairy moments from the opposition.

"Southport upped the pace and we struggled to cope. They got their goal and there you go -- we're left chasing another game."

Haig Avenue witnessed a dour game on Saturday with little hint of the traditional cup excitement.

Iyseden Christie was released by Terry Fleming but Harriers' top scorer again failed to hit the net, making it six games without a goal.

Midfielder Simon Russell gave goalkeeper Steve Dickinson a rare test as Harriers struggled to make much of the lion's share of possession.

Dangerous Southport sub Matty McGinn livened up proceedings, providing the assist for Steve Daly's superb second-half header that required an equally impressive save from Danny Lewis.

Rookie Lewis kept his place in goal ahead of John Danby but could do nothing about Lane's well-struck volleyed winner following McGinn's centre.

And Harriers mustered little in the way of retaliation with the persistent Russell firing Fleming's pass just wide of the post for their best chance 15 minutes from the end.

Lewis had to pull off another save from Daly late on as Harriers' hopes of an FA Cup run vanished for another season.

HARRIERS: Lewis; Evans (Hurren 84), Jackson, Burgess, Hatswell; Heslop, Fleming, O'Connor (Wilson 58), Russell; Sheldon (Thompson 73), Christie. Subs not used: Danby, Burton.

ATTENDANCE: 1,108.