IT'S a good job the fans' forum was on Friday rather than Saturday night.

Because Harriers would have struggled to explain away this shambolic showing.

Before last weekend, the Aggborough faithful had been led to believe that the board would be open and the team would give little away.

But it seemed to be the other way round as we learned much more about the on-pitch protagonists than the powers-that-be operating behind the scenes.

In fairness to the board, Friday's forum questions were not side-stepped quite as readily as Saturday's half-hearted tackles, but even so, frustrated fans were once again left wondering where their club is heading.

The manager might not have realised it at the time as boos rang down from the terraces and he was subjected to a barrage of abuse as Aldersot ran riot.

But in my opinion Mark Yates was the only Harrier to emerge with any real credit from a difficult weekend at Aggborough - with the exception of goalscoring debutant Luke Reynolds of course.

As promised Yates was as honest and forthright as possible at the fans' forum and bravely continued that policy by branding the Aldershot embarrassment "shocking" and taking full personal responsibility.

Of course the manager had to say that because there was nowhere to hide after a performance that made a mockery of his previous night's promise to bring success to Aggborough.

But at least Yates genuinely gives the impression that he has the attitude, the ability and the aggression to get the club upwardly mobile again - even if he and those around him still need to prove themselves.

The Shots for their part had a field day as their travelling contingent of 185 fans greeted their first away win since November with chants of "easy" after six successive defeats on the road.

But there is still the feeling that Yates's true nemesis could be within the club - be it players who fail to follow instructions, directors who don't share his assertiveness or fed-up fans who don't possess his patient approach.

Having used up all of his words of wisdom in the previous night's PR exercise, Yates had nothing to say to his pathetic players as they trooped in 4-0 down at the break.

Instead he relied on the old adage that actions speak louder than words, leaving his under-achievers literally out in the cold to face the angry Aggborough faithful for most of the interval.

It worked to a certain degree with Harriers `winning' the second half 1-0 - but by then it was merely a case of damage limitation.

John Danby was at fault for the opening goal on six minutes, reacting slowly to Darren Barnard's low curling free kick which crept in the bottom left hand corner.

Jonny Harkness had to shoulder the blame for goal two on 16 minutes when he allowed Nick Crittenden to climb above him to head in Barnard's cross.

Junior Osborne's hesitation proved costly for the third goal on 34 minutes as Ryan Williams all to easily got the wrong side of him to scuff in a half volley.

And the whole defence seemed to be operating in slow motion as Kirk Hudson beat Danby to the ball to toe-poke in the fourth despite Daryl Burgess's failed attempts to clear.

At the previous night's forum, the board had virtually refused to consider reducing admission prices - despite the argument that fans were feeling shortchanged.

But the 1,445 home supporters who made up the 1,630 crowd should be entitled to a full refund after shelling out for this sorry spectacle.

Reynolds was the only silver lining on a cold and cloudy afternoon with the former AFC Telford poacher restoring a sliver of pride for his new team with a clinically finished 55th minute consolation goal from Simon Russell's hooked cross.