Boss backing for super-sub Smikle

The 23-year-old climbed off the subs bench and scored his first goal since November to boot last night, as the team stormed back into the play-off places with a 5-1 drubbing of Woking.

Smikle has found his starting places limited in the second-half of the season despite still being the highest scoring midfielder at the club, a low strike at the Kingfield Stadium his ninth goal of the campaign in all competitions.

But the former Albion youngster has had to sit on the sidelines with Martin Brittain - the other first choice winger early on - as Darryl Knights and Chris McPhee get their chance.

Now the manager has urged Smikle to be patient - he'll get his chance.

He said: "There are one or two that are not in there that enjoyed a good first half of the season, and Brian is one of them. They know they will get their chance, it's a squad game these days.

"Maybe Brian isn't playing as much as he would like, but the system we have at the moment is working for us. There is no need for him to worry though.

"We have a lot of games coming up and, by the end of the season, everyone will have played their part."

A win in Surrey takes Harriers back into the top five after Stevenage had nudged into the play-off places with a win at York on Tuesday night - and Boro next visit Aggborough on Saturday.

The game was over by half-time, Keith Lowe's opener followed up by a brace from Matthew Barnes-Homer and a fourth from Chris McPhee.

Oliver Bozanic's 66th minute 25-yard thunderbolt was the first goal Harriers had conceded in seven games, before Smikle's late sealer.

Yates added: "It was a great performance. It was game over at half-time and we did our job professionally after that. We knew we had to get in their faces from the off, and we did that."

"It could have scored eight really, but for a couple of good saves by their goalkeeper and some missed chances."