This team is just not good enough

The Harriers were taught a lesson in almost every aspect of playing football today by an Aldershot side that until today had been disappointing on their travels.    Their last away win came at Cambridge back in November when they beat the U's 2-0 but today they turned on the style to give the Harriers their worst hammering so far this season.

It could have been worse than the 4-0 home defeat to Boston Utd last season but we have new boy Luke Reynolds to thank for pulling a goal back in a slightly improved second half.

Before the game started came the rumoured news that Laurie Wilson was to start the game in place of the tigerish Gavin Hurren and that Lee Thompson would be on the bench to give Reynolds a start.    Terry Fleming was also on the bench.

With the Harriers facing the wrong way and kicking towards the home fans in a cruel, cold wind it was Town that took the game by the scruff of the neck and proceeded to wring the life out of it.    After three minutes came the first try on goal for them when Crittenden challenged John Danby for the ball but Danby blocked the shot well.

That was just a warning and two minutes later the rout started in earnest.    The Shots were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area and after lining up his wall Danby, for reasons known only to himself, decided to take up a position out of sight of the ball and too far from where Darren Barnard had decided to place it.

It flew into the bottom corner and Danby didn't even see it coming.

It was no more than we deserved because it was plain to see that we just haven't got a clue how to play football.    We do not seem able to pass the ball simply to another team member and the ball is just hoofed either into no mans land or over the roof of any stand that you want to choose.    The amount of throw-ins being given to Aldershot was already into double figures by the time the next goal came along and I'm pretty sure it must have been in three figures by the final whistle.

Almost every player in a red shirt lacked any semblance of good ball control and so when we did manage to get the ball it was bouncing back to an Aldershot player straight away who then harried and hassled us into more mistakes.

The second goal came on seventeen minutes and was another mistake from the normally reliable Danby.    A cross came into the box and went above first Jonny Harkness and then the poorly positioned Danby to land on the head of the towering Nick Crittenden to slam the ball into the net.

Ten minutes before halftime the third goal went in and the game was over for us.    The tiny, but skilful, Ryan Williams, lifted the ball over Danby's head after drawing him off his line.

Another blink of an eye and Town had rattled in their fourth and thankfully final goal of the game.    This one was the most appalling of the lot.    This time the goal came from a goal kick from Nicky Bull that landed well into our half of the field where Daryl Burgess and Danby couldn't decide what to do with it and let Kirk Hudson sneak in to rob them of the ball and push the ball home.    Burgess gave chase but his best efforts to redeem himself was doomed to fail and he couldn't stop the ball entering the net.