Grays Athletic 3 Harriers 2
Kidderminster Harriers saw their four-game unbeaten come to an end as they gifted Grays all three points in an entertaining match at the New Recreation Ground.
Kidderminster Harriers saw their four-game unbeaten come to an end as they gifted Grays all three points in an entertaining match at the New Recreation Ground.
Harriers, still searching for their first away win, allowed Grays to score three second half goals whilst netting through Justin Richards and Matthew Barnes-Homer.
They alsomissed numerous chances to have claimed a victory by a wide margin- yet Harriers manager Mark Yates refused to criticise his strikers' wayward efforts.
He said: "I will not complain about missed chances. My strikers had to be in the right place to create the opportunities. Unfortunately it was just one of those days."
The Harriers boss was less than forgiving about the goals the team conceded.
He added: "We gave them three goals, although I felt there were fouls on my goalkeeper Adam Bartlett for the first and on Brian Smikle in the build up to their third.
"But when you are away from home those decisions do not go for you."
For Yates this was the third successive defeat at the New Recreation Ground prompting this reaction.
He said: "I hate this place, every time we come here we get turned over. Perhaps it is one of those grounds where you could do anything and still come away on the bus with a defeat."
The first half was evenly contested, as Grays employed a lone striker in Danny Kedwell and packed the midfield.
Harriers picked up the pace at the start of the second period. Russell Penn had penalty claims waved away, before Grays struck against the run of play.
Sam Sloma's cross was cleared to Stuart Thurgood on the edge of the box. His left footed drive crept inside Bartlett's left hand post in the 53rd minute.
Within five minutes Harriers were level. Bartlett's long punt was flicked into Smikle's path and his defence splitting pass found Richards, who cut away from his marker to unleash a shot across keeper Ross Flitney into the bottom right hand corner.
The visitors' tails were up and they should have taken the lead. Richards blazed a Barnes-Homer centre over the bar from six yards and Smikle did likewise.
Harriers then conceded twice in five minutes. Penn lost possession on the edge of his own area, allowing Ismael Welsh to play the ball into Sam Sloma.
Martin Brittain appeared to have the danger covered but Sloma won the ball. He went past Luke Jones and Lee Baker before crashing the ball into the net in the 67th minute.
The visitors looked shellshocked. When they stopped playing expecting the referee to blow for a foul on Smikle, Jamie Taylor set up fellow substitute Barry Cogan to extend the home side's lead.
Harriers continued to battle Justin Richards, who repeated his earlier feat from about the same distance.
Darryl Knights also saw his goalbound effort cleared off the line by Jon Ashton, before Barnes–Homer netted a consolation goal, turning in Luke Jones' downward header in the 88th minute.
