Harriers produce a first half shocker

There was a massive blow to our play off hopes today when an unimpressive display from the Harriers led to another home loss.  The Reds knew they couldn't afford another home loss and set out on trying to break the deadlock, firstly through a Lee Hendrie effort which went out of the stadium after some neat work from the forwards.

They had an even better effort moments later after the lively Anthony Malbon hit the bar.  A throw-in found Marvin Johnson and a cracking cross found Malbon at the back post.  He was unlucky to see his effort cannon off the bar and go out.

Yet, slightly against the run of play, Barrow were the side to break the deadlock.  A cross was put in by Barrow and Lee Hendrie attempted to cleared it but sliced it towards his own goal instead where it looped over and into the box.  Jack Mackreth, with all the time in the world, got a head on it and sent it towards goal but a brilliant Tony Breeden save wasn't though as the linesman on the East Stand side judged it to have crossed the line, despite the majority of the stadium thinking it hadn't.

It was a defensive nightmare though with the slip by Hendrie and then giving Mackreth so much space too.  There didn't seem to be a Harriers player near him.

It got worse for the defence though four minutes later when Barrow were awarded a penalty.  Substitute left back Callum Gittings, who had came on for the injured Michael Briscoe after only ten minutes, couldn't quite catch Mackreth up as he charged through the defence and fouled the Barrow man on the edge of the box to give away a silly penalty.  It seemed that not even the five hundred watching boyscouts could tie up our poor defence.

Richie Baker then converted the penalty to put the Reds 2-0 down after only twenty four minutes.

The Harriers restored some hope for the two thousand odd crowd after a wonderfully taken goal from Anthony Malbon.  It was the first time the Harriers really looked to attack through Lee Vaughan and he put a marvelous ball over the top of the striker and he ran on to it, took one touch, and powered it brilliantly over the Barrow 'keeper.

Kyle Storer was perhaps unlucky to equalise for the Reds too.  Just after the half hour mark we had a free kick awarded to us and Kyle was happy to step up, but his wonderful curling effort was just tipped round the corner by Shaun Pearson, the visiting keeper.

Malbon had a chance to double his goal tally just before half time.  A ball was squeezed through the defence and he latched onto it and squirmed it under the onrushing keeper, but that seemed to take the entire pace off of it, and it couldn't quite roll to the goal before the keeper had chance to spare his blushes.

The Harriers had to start brightly in the second half if they had any chance of rescuing the game, and looked to do that as they forced the first chance of the game just one minute into the half.  Storer played well and got the ball to Hendrie who shot from distance, but it was straight at the keeper and not either side of him.

They had another chance to score soon after with a good ball from Vaughan, looking for Ryan Rowe, but the ball was headed out by a Barrow defender.  The following corner was whipped in and Mike Williams headed effort at the back post was just over.

Storer had another pop from distance after good skill from Hendrie, but his shot just flashed wide of the post.

After a good save from a defender outside of the area Vaughan took a powerful shot from a free kick played out to him, but it deflected safely into the keeper's hands.

Going into the last minutes the Reds should've pushed for at least an equaliser, but it was Barrow who had the two final chances of the game, both of which should've been converted.  Firstly a racing attacker got between the defence and shot at goal, only to be denied brilliantly by Breeden's feet.  The ball came back out to previous goal-scorer Mackreth, and with an open goal to aim at, was denied from scoring with a great clearance off the line from Gittings.

Finally, it was Andy Cook for the visitors steaming through the defence, but his shot came back off the post.  The game was summed up well after Jack Byrne missed from half a yard out after a Gittings cross was headed back in from Nick Wright.  It only needed a nod from Byrne but his header went straight over.

The lack-lustre Harriers and their fans must be upset with another loss but we must now look forward to Fleetwood on Friday evening.  They have to keep their heads held high if we have any chance of getting into the illustrious play off positions.

 Goal for Harriers: Malbon
 Goals for Barrow: Mackreth 20, Baker (pen) 25

REFEREE:

Mr A Harrington Cleveland