Tamworth 2
Harriers 1

SLOPPY Harriers paid the price for some poor defending as they lost a competitive Midlands derby at the Lamb on Bank Holiday.

The Aggborough outfit were caught out by two goals early in the second half.

Despite pulling a goal back from the penalty spot and late pressure, they were unable to grab a leveller and salvage a point.

Manager Mark Yates was forced to make two changes to the side that beat Altrincham.

Young defender Tom Sharpe was handed his first league start after a composed performance as a substitute on Saturday. He stepped into the shoes of defender Martin Riley, who is serving a one-match suspension.

David McDermott returned to the starting line-up as a replacement for Kyle Hadley, who was relegated to the bench.

With Robbie Matthews still not fit, Matthew Barnes-Homer passed fitness test and started up front as a loan striker.

Harriers' opponents made one change to the side that lost at Barrow, who Des Lyttle replacing the suspended Bradley Pritchard.

The away side were almost handed a perfect start to the game when McDermott won a corner inside the first minute.

Winger Brian Smikle, who already had three goals to his name so far this season, saw a firm volley blocked and then directed a headed wide.

Barnes-Homer had a free header in the 11th minute after good work by Smikle and Chris McPhee, but he directed it wide of keeper Danny Alcock's right hand post.

Harriers had been on top but Tamworth battled back into the game, with Richard Tait unleashing a stinging 30-yard thunderbolt after Alex Rodman evaded challenges from Gavin Caines and John Finnigan. Luckily the effort flew a fraction wide of goalkeeper Dean Coleman's right hand post in the 17th minute.

Rodman was instrumental and he was found by Jake Sheridan, sped down the right wing in a Tamworth counter-attack. He pulled the ball back for Des Lyttle but his shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Lee Baker.

Harriers' shot-stopper tipped over a blockbusting long range effort from Neil MacKenzie over the bar in the 29th minute.

The away side were under pressure and Rodman thought he'd put Tamworth ahead on the half-hour mark but had his effort ruled out for offside.

Sharpe did well to recover and win the ball back off Nick Wright, after his poor back header had allowed the Tamworth livewire a clear run to Harriers' goal in the 33rd minute.

Harriers survived another scare in the 40th minute. Rodman latched onto MacKenzie's astute lofted pass down the right and delivered a low cross, luckily Wright backheeled the ball rather than fired in a shot from close range.

On the stroke of half-time the Aggborough outfit needed a block from Sharpe to deny Tait, before Caines also was on hand to get in the way of Tom Shaw's low follow-up.

The away side weathered the Tamworth storm to go into the break on level terms but they fell behind two minutes into the re-start.

Wright was given too much space from Michael Briscoe's free-kick to squeeze a shot between Coleman and his left post.

Smikle had a difficult chance fall to him in the 53rd minute when Duane Courtney's shot evaded keeper Danny Alcock, but the wideman angled his volley across the face of goal.

Yates rang the changes in the 59th minute, bringing on Darryl Knights for the ineffective McDermott.

Barnes-Homer shot at keeper Alcock but Harriers found themselves 2-0 down in the 63rd minute.

The visiting defence stood like statues as Jake Sheridan found Rodman in the box and he rifled a low shot beyond Harriers' keeper.

But the spirited visitors grabbed lifeline in the 73rd minute after Tamworth captain Chris Smith handled Knights' corner.

The referee did not hesitate to blow for a spot-kick and McPhee slammed it accurately into the bottom left hand corner.

Harriers sensed they could earn something from a game they had been outplayed in but needed Dean Coleman to make a double save in the 80th minute. The shot-stopper blocked Briscoe's shot and then was alert enough to block Tait's follow-up.

The away side had three strikers on the pitch when Aaron Farrell replaced John Finnigan in the 84th minute in a bid to find a leveller.

Harriers pushed for a late goal but could not quite open up well-drilled Tamworth and they slumped to their third loss of the season.

Harriers: Coleman; Baker; Sharpe; Caines (Hadley, 87); Courtney; Bennett; Finnigan (Farrell, 84); McPhee; Smikle; Barnes-Homer; McDermott (Knights, 59).

Unused substitutes: Singh; Dolman.

Tamworth: Alcock; Tait; Blackwood; Smith; MacKenzie; Wright (Nicholson, 82); Rodman; Sheridan; Shaw; Lyttle; Briscoe.

Unused substitutes: Hurren; Mills; Lake-Gaskin; Benjamin.

Referee: Mark Heywood. Attendance: 1,237