HEAD coach Dave Hockaday called for his side to be more ruthless after Harriers lost 1-0 to Gateshead.

The Aggborough outfit had looked set to earn a deserved point after an entertaining game when Paddy McLaughlin pounced in the 93rd minute.

Defeat was tough on the hosts, who had created and wasted several fine scoring chances.

Their best came early in the second half when Gurjit Singh fired over the bar with just keeper Sam Russell beat.

But Hockaday was left to rue his side's inability to deal with Gateshead's throw-ins.

He said: "It is tough to take, it is why we are where we are in the table.

"For the second week in a row we have done more than enough to keep a clean sheet.

"I am angry because I did say the only way that Gateshead were going to score was from a throw in.

"They have two lads who can hurl the ball into the box and that is all they kept doing.

"Eventually they have scrambled the ball in and scored.

"We had had chances, particularly in the second half, to score but if you don't take them you don't win games. We've got to be more ruthless."

After the game, Hockaday said his players were too distraught to talk to the press.

Defeat means they remain bottom of the Vanarama National League heading into a tough set of festive fixtures.