The Harriers winless run continues

The Harriers returned from another game without scoring, this evening, after going down 2-0 to Gateshead and we haven't scored a goal in the last two games.  Our last win came a month ago at Aldershot and that was one of our two goals in seven games.

With just the one enforced change from the bore draw at Nuneaton last Saturday we saw Callum Gittings returning to the starting line-up due to the return of Aaron Wildig to Shrewsbury.  Even the Gitto Magic couldn't help us today as we failed to stamp our authority on the game.

The one good thing to come from this defeat was that we somehow continue to stay in eighth place in the league although other teams, including Gateshead, are catching up fast but defeat at home to Halifax this coming weekend could see us drop down to twelfth place. With the Harriers kicking the game off in biting cold weather, in front of eighteen hardy travelling fans, we spent the first part of the game soaking up the pressure without creating much for ourselves.  Alex Rodman tested Danny Lewis early doors but the first real chance of the game fell for Rob Ramshaw who headed narrowly over from a Gateshead corner.  Just after came our first chance for Danny Wright, playing against his former club, but his shot was blocked.

The Harriers game was starting to pick up now and further chances fell for Dominic Knowles, Lee Hughes and Callum Gittings but then the home side took the lead against the run of the game.  Matt Pattison, booked earlier for a foul on Kevin Nicholson, crossed the ball in for Rodman to power the ball home with his head.

The half ended with the Harriers having had their chances to score but as the game progressed the home side improved and went into the break on top and could have gone in two goals to the good after Rodman had seen his fierce drive well saved by Lewis.

The second half started as the first had finished with Gateshead on top for long periods.  They had more chances to increase the lead through John Oster and Matt Pattison but slowly, again, the Harriers began to come into the game more.

Lee Hughes, playing out wide again, sent over a super cross for Knowles but the on loan striker couldn't quite reach it.  Then Danny Wright tried to convert Jack Byrnes flicked ball across to him but Adam Bartlett, a former keeper at Aggborough, had no trouble saving it seeing as it was directed straight at him.

Just seconds after our first substitution, Jake Green on for Knowles, we had our best chance of the night and one that we should have scored from.  In fact one that Lee Hughes would have scored from years ago.  Aman Verma whipped in a low cross that Wright left for Hughes to convert but, with time on his side, he rushed at the chance and spooned it over the bar.  Verma had chance to score himself a few minutes later but his scoring prowess was wayward too and his header went wide of the target.

With fifteen minutes of the game remaining the Heed made their only change of the evening when Carl Finnigan came on for Adam Campbell.  Soon after we made another change with Callum Gittings going off to be replaced with Keyon Reffell.

The introduction of Finnegan paid dividends for Gateshead because, with time running out, he made sure of the points and condemned the Harriers to defeat.  With the Harriers attacking Bartletts goal looking for the equaliser a quick break away resulted in the sub sending home Pattisons cross and double the Gateshead goal tally for the night.

We now have a tough home game against Halifax to look forward to on Saturday.  We can only dream of actually scoring in this one.

 Goals for Gateshead: Rodman 42, Finnigan 90

REFEREE:

Mr D England Sth Yorkshire