Lee Hughes scored the Harriers first goal in six games when he popped up with a sixty second minute equaliser at Torquay today in answer to the former Hereford striker Ryan Bowmans first half goal. Sadly Bowman was gifted a second goal just minutes after our goal to give struggling Torquay the points. Hughes was also the scorer of our previous goal at home to Woking back on Valentines Day - the Eastleigh own goal against us doesn't count.
With Jack Byrne out injured Callum Gittings came in to replace him while Hughes came in for Craig Reid. On the bench was the Academy midfielder Luke Maxwell.
As is usual for the Harriers of late we started the game by hoofing the ball everywhere and totally forgetting that the game was called football for a reason. Torquay passed the ball around neatly but didn't look much better than us at the end of the day. Only two minutes of the game had gone when Josh Gowling became the first to go into the referees book for a clumsy challenge out wide. Just a word for the Devon based referee that he was quite fair to both sides seeing as he didn't have far to come. As some wag said, his wife must have dropped him off.
Fifteen minutes in and the Gulls were forced into a change when John Campbell went off injured to be replaced by Bowman. You just knew what was going to happen.
The usual defensive mix up between our defenders let in Bowman to slot the ball home with ease.
Heads dropped and the hosts took control of the game for the remainder of the first half. Luke Young went close for them with a free quick that went just the wrong side of the upright and they continued to retain possession without really achieving much.