Stevenage 2
Harriers 1

HARRIERS failed to kick the habit of the season as defensive errors highlighted the yawning gap they need to cross to become promotion contenders in the Blue Square Premier.

They returned to Worcestershire pointless wondering how they didn't earn something from Peter Taylor's hard working but limited promotion chasers.

In a scrappy encounter a neutral observer would have had a hard time telling the difference between League Two hopefuls and mid-table also rans.

With the margins for success and failure so small Harriers paid the price for some sloppy defending, which allowed Borough to take all the points.

It's easy to see why the Aggborough side's play-off hopes have lain dormant this season.

In a division where scrappy consistency is more important than attacking flair, Harriers have been let down all too often by their inability to shut out the opposition.

Football is often a cruel game and Harriers, whose fragile confidence had been lifted by back-to-back wins, suffered a setback before a ball was kicked in anger.

Luke Jones, quickly becoming a stalwart in central defence, was omitted from the team line-up after Shrewsbury Town invoked their 24-hour recall for the on-loan 19-year-old.

It highlighted the precarious nature of relying on loan players and the weaknesses in Harriers' small squad.

His absence saw the versatile Gavin Hurren thrust into the back four alongside Mark Creighton. It was his first start in 11 games and naturally looked rusty after a long time out.

It was the only change, albeit an enforced one, to the side, as manager Mark Yates picked the attacking line-up that had breathed new life into Harriers' flagging campaign.

The disruption of Jones' absence cannot be used as the full reason but it was certainly a contributing factor to the visitor's defeat.

An evenly matched encounter looked set to be developing when Hurren's poor pass out of defence fell to Steve Morison, who scored in Harriers' 3-2 loss to Stevenage in last May's FA Trophy defeat. The striker raced past Hurren and slipped the ball past keeper Chris MacKenzie in the 15th minute.

MacKenzie showed his quality as he kept the hosts from doubling their lead.

He got to Mitchell Cole's looping effort from the edge of the area, before making an even better save moments later.

Winger Gavin Grant raced into the box but was stopped in his track by Creighton's crunching tackle.

The ball fell to Morison, who fired in an angled drive but the diving keeper was more than equal to it.

Apart from the flurry of action Harriers had looked comfortable and Simon Russell and Matthew Barnes-Homer both saw 25-yard efforts fly wide.

The visitors did not let their heads drop and came out determined in the second half to find a goal.

Christie provided the team with the ultimate boost when he bagged a 52nd minute leveller.

Ballerina-like the striker spun nimbly in the area and with the power and speed of a Rugby League winger barged his way between Tommy Smith and Scott Laird, before slotting the ball underneath the slow reacting Alan Julian.

The goal should have heralded Harriers' resurgence but instead it trumpeted some reckless play which allowed the hosts to obtain the upper hand.

The back four lost its shape and too often left-back Alex Jeannin's forays forward left the visitors vulnerable.

Grant shot over after a good run and a low cross by the dangerous Cole, before he saw a shot cleared off the line by Hurren.

At the other end Russell saw a strong claim for a handball ignored by the referee after right back Lawrie Wilson seemed to handle his shot in the box.

But Grant's persistence finally paid off in the 72nd minute and Harriers' luck ran out when he fired in a shot that ricocheted off Mark Creighton and flew beyond a wrong-footed MacKenzie.

Undeterred the visitors pinned ragged Borough back in their own half and pushed for a leveller.

Russell, who was Harriers' most potent attacking player, was unfortunate not to score a fine effort.

The home defence failed to clear Jeannin's free-kick and from the edge of the area the winger fired in a great looping effort that had beaten Julian, but crashed off the right post.

In a final frenetic period Harriers threw everything at Stevenage, who survived more through luck that judgement.

Russell's cross from the right caused chaos and Barnes-Homer and Christie had shots blocked, before Russ Penn fired a low shot off target.

In the end it was not enough as Harriers' wait for an away league win stretched to eight games.

Harriers: MacKenzie 7; Kenna 6; Hurren 5; Creighton 6; RUSSELL 8; Penn 6; Bennett 6; Barnes-Homer 6; Jeannin 6; Christie 7; Knights 6 (McGrath, 73).

Stevenage: Julian; Smith; Westwood; Cole (Mosesley, 77); Wilson; McMahon; Moore (Willock, 64); Morison; Laird; Vincenti; Grant.

Referee: B Malone. Attendance: 1,326.