Oxford 1
Harriers 0

HARRIERS suffered their first league defeat in over a month when former striker James Constable scored from the penalty spot at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Aggborough side did not show their ususal ruthless streak in front of goal, despite dominating the second half.

Defeat meant that they wasted a chance to rise to third place in the Blue Square Premier.

With top scorer Justin Richards out with an eye injury, usual first choice forward Matthew Barnes-Homer was dropped to the bench.

Instead, manager Mark Yates gambled on picking the strike partnership of Stefan Moore and Darryl Knights for the clash.

The home side made the brighter start and winger Lewis Haldane saw a 25-yard effort fly over Adam Bartlett's goal.

Harriers' keeper made a comfortable save from James Clarke as the hosts probed for an opening.

The visitors looked comfortable but were breached in controversional fashion in the 25th minute.

Former Harriers hitman Constable broke from midfield, sped between Mark Creighton and Martin Riley.

The forward looked free to pick his spot but went to ground in the box, after the merest of contacts with Creighton, who was booked.

Referee Amy Rayner ignored calls for a penalty but after talking to her assistant blew for the spot-kick, which Constable firmly blasted to Bartlett's right.

Knights almost scored moments after racing onto Brian Smikle's through ball but hit the post.

The game was then blighted by niggly fouls and Russ Penn was brought down on the edge of the area by defender Matt Day.

Moore escaped a booking, despite seeming to eblow Chris Carruthers as tempers ignited.

Constable was on a mission to score against his former side and directed a header wide.

It took a fine sliding challenge by Day to deny Smikle as he burst into the box.

Harriers' defence was also being stretched by the electric pace of Yemi Odubade and it took a sliding challenge to deny him just before half-time.

Yates did not hesitate to ring the changes early in the second half, throwing on Matthew Barnes-Homer and David McDermott.

The visitors pinned the defiant hosts back for large parts of the half but could not produce any clear cut chances.

However, the pace of Odubade meant Harriers were vulnerable on the counter-attack and the forward delivered a cross which Haldane clipped wide.

For all their pressure, Harriers were reduced to long range efforts, with Penn and Andy Ferrell shooting off target.

The home side threatened fleetingly but carved out few chances, with Odubade shooting at Bartlett.

Penn thought he had made the breakthrough in the 85th minute when he fired in a low shot from the edge of the box, but midfielder Eddie Hutchinson made a timely block.

Andy Ferrell was booked late on for a foul on Oxford's controversial defender James Clarke, who feigned injury.

Substitute McDermott came closest for Harriers in the final minute when he cut in from the left wing and fired in a low shot that keeper Billy Turley did well to block.

After the game, Harriers' return home was delayed by the disappearance of their team bus, perhaps because it had been parked outside the home team's goal for much of the second half.

Harriers: Bartlett 6; Bakerv6, Riley 6; Creighton 7; Lowe 6; Smikle 7 (Barnes-Homer, 56, 6); Ferrell 7; Penn 7; Brittain 6; Knights 6(McDermott, 67); Moore 6.

Unused substitutes: Coleman; Jones; Bowler.

Oxford: Turley; Clarke; Day; Foster; Carruthers; Deering; Murray; Hutchinson; Haldane (Trainer, 74); Constable; Odubade (Guy, 82).

Unused substitutes: Hinchliffe; Burnell;Wilmott.

Referee: Amy Rayner (Leicestershire). Attendance: 3,690 (190)