Back to earth with a yawn

It was to be expected that after all the excitement of our Trophy run that we would have to come down to earth at some point.    It was also to be expected that it would come at somewhere like Tamworth and so it did.

On a bitterly cold night, not too far from Kidderminster, a fifth of the fans that went to Northwich braved the spartan surroundings of The Lamb.    A ground steeped in pre-war history and looking like it was still there.

No Scott Bevan again for the third game in a row and also no Gavin Hurren either.    Bevan was still out with a calf injury and Hurren got injured at Northwich but what the injury is no-one is saying.    Jake Sedgemore took Triggers place with Steve Taylor continuing to remain in goal.

This is going to be a short review of the game because basically it was nothing to write home about.

Gone was the teamwork and slick passing of three days previous and in it's place was a team that reverted to the bad old hoof and hope aligned with a lethargy induced by too many games in recent weeks and a feeling of 'After the Lord Mayors Show' permeating throughout the side.

Tamworth, on the otherhand, looked a bit more creative and also more up for it than us but their finishing was woeful.    Up front for them was Taiwo Atieno, the target of much un-warranted abuse from the Harriers fans, Darryl Taylor and a former target of ours, Jake Edwards.

Also appearing for the home side were two other ex Harriers in John McGrath and Simon Heslop.

The first attack on goal came from Tamworth and from all three former players too.    McGrath played in Heslop to fire a shot in that Taylor parried but only as far as Atieno who then proceeded to blast the ball over the, admittedly very low, stand to jeers all round.

Seconds later they were on the attack again and this time Mark Creighton threw himself in front of another Heslop effort to keep the ball out.

We had a Penn shot, a quarter of a hour, in that went just over the bar and then he came close again ten minutes later with a shot that was blocked by a defender.    Soon after a cross from James Constable found Michael Blackwood but his shot was straight at the keeper.

Immediately Tamworth were back on the attack and this time it was McGrath who became the target of derision when his shot flew over the corner flag.

Five minutes before the break Tamworth should have taken the lead when Edwards got on the end of a Darryl Taylor cross to send a slick header just wide of the upright.    Atieno then almost got himself booked for a foul on Creighton to cat calls again but responded with a effort that went wide to yet again more derision.