It's not the lack of goals. It's the lack of inspiration

A month has gone by now without a single goal to the Harriers name and on this poor showing today it's going to take another month.

On Tuesday evening we entertain Eastleigh and if this goal less run continues then, I'm sorry to say, the long decline into mediocrity is well and truly underway.  Not since our relegation from the football league, under Stuart Watkiss, have we ever looked as bad as we do know.  We're a team without goals, confidence and inspiration and it's the latter that is the most worrying.

The goals and the confidence come from within but the inspiration has to be put there by another and at the moment the current Harriers management team are not inspiring me and obviously not inspiring the team.  Much longer playing like this and the crowds will begin to dwindle to the thousand mark by the end of the season.  Next season with a bunch of kids playing we won't be reaching that.

The cluelessness of the managerial team showed itself today with Jordan Tunnicliffe preferred ahead of Kevin Nicholson.  His absence could have been seen as the reason for the first Alfreton goal with the comedy of defensive errors that allowed Josh Gowling to head a cross over the out of position Danny Lewis and straight to the feet of Johnny Johnston to side foot the ball home into an empty net.  I'm sure that Nicholsons cool head could have prevented the goal.

Our only shot of a very poor first was a blockbuster from Callum Gittings that went out just wide of the post.  The man mountain of a keeper, Jason Mooney, did well to keep out any other chances we had and apart from Callums chance we did very little.

Danny Wright failed to win anything in the air while Lee Hughes was being marked heavily and not being given a direct sight of goal.  The thing with Hughes is that he never gives up and that's why he's my Man of the Match.

The other stand out players were Jared Hodgkiss and Jake Green but Greens problem is that although he's fast and never gives up his final ball is never delivered.  He just ends up running into an opponent or losing the ball completely.

We started the second period with a return to common sense with Kevin Nicholson coming on for Tunnicliffe.  Straight away we looked more solid at the back and it also meant that Green could move into midfield to try and create openings for us from there.

Up front more chances came our way but the old failing of not taking those chances continued.  Lee Hughes tried his best to bring Danny Wright into the game but they're not on the same wavelength and Danny takes far too long making a decision on what to do anyway.

With the Harriers hogging the possession the home side were relying on quick breakaways.  With them playing down the slope they found that easy to do and that could explain why they choose to face that way in the second half.  Johnston again had a chance from one such break but he fired wide with just Danny Lewis to beat.

We made our second change to the game with Dominic Knowles coming on for Wright.  Ironically it was in our best spell of the game that Alfreton increased their lead.

The home side were awarded a free kick, some way out, and it was taken quickly.  Karl Hawley was the first to the ball and his shot went in off a deflection from Jamie Grimes leaving Lewis little chance of stopping.

We bought on Keyon Reffell in an effort to bring some kind of spark to the attack but it was too late really.  He got himself booked for an over enthusiastic challenge in another Alfreton breakaway that could have been turned into red if there hadn't been a Harriers defender there to stop him too.

In the un-announced injury time the home side could have run out 3-0 winners but a bad miss by the former Harriers midfielder, Dan Bradley, was rushed and the ball went well wide.

On to Tuesday night and hopefully we might get a goal at home to Eastleigh.  Don't hold your breath.

 Goals for Alfreton: Johnston 11, Hawley 70

REFEREE:

Mr K Evans Manchester