COLIN Gordon has vowed relegated Kidderminster Harriers will be able to cope with the rigours of the National North.

The Aggborough outfit will drop to their lowest level in 33 years next term after Saturday’s 0-0 home draw against Barrow.

Despite a heroic attempt in recent weeks to keep the survival bid alive, Boreham Wood’s 2-1 win at Aldershot confirmed their relegation, most likely into the National North, for 2016-17.

The chief executive and caretaker manager also responded to fans' fears that their current tiki-taka style would struggle to make an impact a level below, against more physical and direct sides on poor quality pitches away from Aggborough.

He said: “I know what people have been saying and I understand the areas we will need to work on.

“We’ve missed a player up front who can lead the line, when we had Harry White up front we had a plan B.

“We won at Boreham Wood playing more directly with Harry and won at Lincoln who were very direct.

“Unfortunately he went back and we couldn’t really play that way with Evan Garnett or Ben Whitfield up front.

“But I realise we will need to have another plan in the National North, although I still want to play football the right way too.

“We can’t go to Bradford Park Avenue on a Tuesday night and play with the ball on the ground, we’d get spanked so we’ll have to find another way to win games.

“We’ve got the foundations of a good team but we’ve go to build on it over the summer and make sure we have a team capable of going up.”

He added: “We’ve been resigned to going down for several weeks.

“I know it’s been hard for fans and there have been mistakes made at this club over a number of years, even by myself.

“But there is also a very bright future going at this club.”

Gordon is also hoping to bring in a new manager before the end of the season.

He has whittled down his shortlist to two and hinted that they are currently working at other clubs.

He added: “I am hoping to get something done before the end of the season.

“I want someone who knows the level of football we are playing in and has the right contacts.

“But I also want a manager who has the coaching badges, has experience of the Football League, so it’s the right mix.

“Those sort of managers are not easy to find and that’s why I have been taking my time over it.”

Kidderminster have two games of the season left and end their home campaign against play-off chasing Dover Athletic on Saturday (3pm ko).