ANGERED Phil Brown hit out at his players for a lack of pride in the shirt as Harriers exited the Emirates FA Cup with defeat to Northern Premier League side Guiseley at Aggborough.

Former Harriers loanee Will Longbottom struck the only goal of the game in the second half to net the Lions a 1-0 win and knock out the higher-graded Reds, fresh from having done the same to National League North leaders Scunthorpe United in the previous round.

That came after a strong first half showing from the hosts, who racked up chances aplenty on the Guiseley goal, Ashley Hemmings and David Davis going close before Hemmings, on 33 minutes, stepped up to take a penalty awarded after Jack Lambert’s ball into the area was handled. The Aggborough talisman was thwarted by goalkeeper Joe Cracknell from 12 yards after the spot-kick lacked power.

Undeterred, Hemmings forced Cracknell into a low save three minutes later before Joe Foulkes went within inches of finding the bottom corner with a drive that fizzed wide.

Harriers stormed out of the blocks in the second half and went close through the dangerous Maz Kouhyar’s low effort but, after that, the visitors grew into the game and managed to stem the flow of clear-cut chances for the Reds who then appeared to lose confidence going forward.

Clearly eager to get the job done at the first time of asking and avoid a replay, Brown threw on Harry Ibbitson, Tope Obadeyi and Seb Thompson to try and reinvigorate the team’s attacking intent, but it was Guiseley who stole ahead with six minutes of normal time left; a charging, powerful run from John Lufudu sending the ball into the six-yard box where Longbottom was on hand to scoop it into the net.

In the final seconds of the 90, Guiseley almost netted a second when sub Jack Emmett was denied by Christian Dibble, and Harriers ended the day unable to seriously test Cracknell again.

Brown said after the final whistle: “To be brutally honest, I need to apologise for my performance more than anything else. My performance today was substandard from what I imagine the fans are expecting.

“They’re expecting people to wear the shirt with pride, and I’m picking people who clearly don’t wear the shirt with pride and seem to be flying their own flag more than anything else, and that’s not good enough for me.

“You have your name on the back of the shirt and, with that in mind, you represent yourself and your own family etcetera, but if that’s the representation that I’m going to get from a group of players, that’s not good enough. Consequently, it’s not good enough from me, because I’m picking them.”

Harriers will return to league action next Saturday afternoon with the trip to Needham Market.