The Harriers crashed to their second defeat in three days at Cheltenham today and if they don't pull their finger out they'll be crashing out of the League after yet another dire performance.

With an unchanged side after Saturdays defeat at the hands of a mediocre Bury they had already been told, by Brit, in no uncertain terms that some of them were on a final warning.  Pity they hadn't taken that that in because we started off today just where we left off on Saturday.

If it hadn't been for the strange behaviour of referee Hegley both sets of fans could have fallen asleep.  He booked Scott Stamps for a harmless handball, admittedly there was no reason for the handball, but when the same player was sent crashing to the ground, on the edge of the area, after a violent tackle from Odejayi the ref saw no reason to brandish the yellow.

In fact Odejayi spent almost the rest of the game committing crude, un-punished tackles until he was finally booked for yet another bad challenge and was removed for his own safety by his boss, Bobby Gould.

As for Hegleys interpretation of the throw in rule????

The game itself was mainly a defensive battle with both sides making good use of the lack of a roof at Whaddon Rd.  Our passing game seems to have gone AWOL lately, the last time it was seen was in the pre-season friendly against Leicester City.

This is where our problems seem to be stemming from.  We have lost the ability to pass the ball and so keep possession.  I think we've been here before.

On twenty minutes Cheltenham almost took the lead from a superb header that the Brockstar only just stopped from entering at the top right angle.  Problem was it was from our very own Sean Flynn.

McCann was first to threaten for Cheltenham when he shot over the crossbar from 18yds after been given plenty of room.  Soon after Bo had a go but as has been the case in recent weeks his shot lacked power and was easily blocked by Kevin Imawaankah.

The half deteriorated after that to a mid field mess with neither side able to keep the ball for more than a few seconds at a time.

Harriers started the second half with a substitution when Adie Smith replaced Scott Stamps who had been injured in that first half tackle.  He slotted in at right back and Kenny Coleman moved over to the berth vacated by Stamper.

This half was looking a little better after Brits pep talk and straight away Dean Bennett started to use the ball to good effect and put the Cheltenham defence under pressure.

That pressure paid off with a goal after five minutes.

Andy Bishop, having another quiet game, was fouled on the edge of the area.  Sean Flynn stood guard over the ball as Danny prepared to take it and take it he did!  His venomous shot pierced the Cheltenham defence and, after taking a slight deflection, buried itself in the top corner.

At last we had something to cheer and that was the signal for the Harriers to take the upper hand in this dour game.  Bo Henriksen and Dean Bennett both had chances to increase the scoreline but their shots were weak efforts and both times they had someone else better placed to score but failed to make use of them.

Slowly Cheltenham began to come more into the game and then, after McCann had a free kick saved a few minutes earlier, they scored.

Cheltenham had a corner that was taken from the right.  It was only partly grabbed by Stuart Brock and the ball fell kindly for Jamie Victory to rifle the ball home from a couple of yards out.

Cheltenham launched an all out assault on the Harriers goal and the second one went in just two minutes later.

Again it was a free kick from Danger Man McCann.  Adie Smith gave away the offence on the edge of the area right in the middle of the twelve yard box.  From our viewpoint it may as well have been a penalty, it was so direct.

The wall formed, then un-formed and just before it disintegrated completely McCann struck the ball with just as much venom as Danny did earlier.  It was a gut wrenching feeling knowing that we had thrown away the game against that lot from down the M5.

There was worse to come.

For some inexplicable reason Adam Willis, who had been the best player on the park so far, went into a challenge on Devaney with his boots so high that he could have ruined Devaney's chance of fathering children.  It had to be a red card, there was no choice to be made by Hegley.  It was the only correct decision that he had made all day.

We drifted out of the ground silently, only the catcalls from Harriers fans aimed at the gloating Mark Yates disturbed the air of gloom hanging over us.