Aldershot 2
Harriers 1

HARRIERS managed to restore some wounded pride with a gritty performance at the Blue Square Premier leaders on Saturday.

Defeat meant that Harriers slipped to their fourth straight loss but the travelling band of 88 fans saw a hungrier, more determined performance in comparison to the lacklustre displays of the last few weeks.

Before kick-off many fans feared that low on confidence Harriers could suffer their biggest defeat of the season at the hands of the division's best side.

Manager Mark Yates' clear the air talks with the players, when he locked them in the changing room after the Rushden and Diamonds loss, seemed to have an effect.

Like with trips to in-form Torquay and Burton Albion Yates had selected a 4-5-1 formation, which had the unfamiliar figure of Matthew Barnes-Homer spearheading the attack in only his third league start of the season.

The formation worked as Harriers soaked up the pressure and hit the Shots on the break.

Harriers have struggled to break down defences in recent weeks but as Aldershot poured forward the extra space gave them the chance to attack the home team.

The impressive Barnes-Homer handed Harriers the lead in the third minute after an uncharacteristic wobble by the leaders.

Defender Anthony Charles failed to cut out Mark Creighton's long punt forward and the foraging striker chipped the ball over keeper Nikki Bull as he rushed out.

The goal capped Barnes-Homer's best performance in a Harriers shirt since he joined in the summer. He showed a willingness to run the channels, chase lost causes and worry Aldershot's defence.

Unfortunately Harriers' defensive frailties allowed the hosts back into the game two minutes later.

Charles directed a bullet header goalwards and unlucky keeper Chris MacKenzie did well to get a hand to the ball, only for Danny Hylton to rifle a home the rebound.

Unlike in recent weeks Harriers did not crumble and their blanket defence, marshalled well by Creighton and Luke Jones, thwarted Aldershot.

Brian Smikle, making his first start for three games, got into good positions and looked dangerous on the right wing.

He carved out a good chance near the end of the first half when he nutmegged right-back Anthony Straker and found Barnes-Homer, who slipped the ball to Michael McGrath on the edge of the box, but his shot was straight at Bull.

McGrath volleyed a difficult effort over the bar in the first minute of the second half, aftter Dean Bennett's cross had deflected off Charles.

So effective was Harriers' gameplan that Aldershot manager Gary Waddock made a triple substitution early in the second half, handing striker Junior Mendes his debut and bringing on Scott Davies, who scored in Harriers' 2-1 home loss to Aldershot at the start of the season.

The visitors were under increasing pressure by the dominant hosts and it finally told when the impressive Harding, who pulled the strings for Aldershot throughout, made it 2-1 with a curling shot from the edge of the box in the 66th minute.

Yates went for broke and brought on forward Iyseden Christie as Harriers switched to a 4-4-2 formation and the ploy nearly worked in the final minute.

Substitute Darryl Knights slipped a pass to Christie but his first-time shot was saved by Bull's legs.

Harriers: MacKenzie 6 ; Creighton 7; Jones 7; Penn 6; Smikle 7 (Knights, 86); McGrath 6 (Russell, 7 5); Ferrell 6 (Christie, 68, 6); Bignot 6; Bennett 6; BARNES-HOMER 8; Jeannin 6. Aldershot: Bull; Straker; Day; Charles; Chalmers; Elvins (Mendes, 55); Hylton; Hudson (Davies, 55); Harding; Gier (Soares, 55); Grant. Referee: IJ Cooper. Attendance: 2,835.