PATCHED-UP Harriers avoided a potential FA Trophy banana skin in Derbyshire on Saturday, much to the relief of manager Mark Yates.

Before kick-off the manager could have been justifiably worried about a first round upset against their opponents from the Unibond League Premier Division, but at the final whistle he had an awful lot to smile about.

He had been forced to field what on paper was a severely weakened side as his small squad was stretched to breaking point.

Harriers were without on-loan strike pairing Ryan Charles and Damian Spencer after their parent clubs had refused them permission to play in the Trophy.

With Martin Riley suspended, captain Chris McPhee played in defence, while a stomach bug had meant that first-choice keeper Dean Coleman could only make the bench, while David McDermott had been rushed to hospital on the Friday because of a mystery complaint.

That meant Jasbir Singh was handed his first-team debut in goal and rookies Nathan Hayward and Aaron Farrell were also thrown into the fray.

But the trio, particularly the livewire Farrell, answered the manager’s SOS and also went some way to demonstrate that Harriers’ small squad has some strength in depth.

“I am really pleased with the character the lads showed and the perseverance,” commented a jubilant Yates after the match.

“We kept trying to do the right thing in tricky circumstances and I am delighted with the dressing room to be honest, because they got behind each other.

“It was important that we as a squad came through this match.

“We were down to the bare bones and the lads have shown tremendous character and put in a good solid performance.

“From the moment we turned up we showed the right attitude and that’s what got us through.”

Matlock, nicknamed the Gladiators, lived up to their name with a tenacious defensive display but never really threatened to worry their understrength visitors, who bossed the game on an increasingly deteriorating pitch.

For all their possession, Harriers struggled to break down Mark Atkins’ troops.

Brian Smikle shot straight at keeper Aaron Jameson, while Dean Bennett saw a low 20-yard effort fly wide.

Centre back Gavin Caines came closest to breaking Matlock’s resistance when Daniel Andrews’ free-kick fell to him at the far post but his first-time effort was denied by a combination of the keeper and woodwork.

The frustration for Harriers increased in the second half and Robbie Matthews wasted a good chance near the hour mark when he lofted a shot from just inside the box over the bar.

But the hitman opened the scoring in the 74th minute after good work by Farrell.

The striker’s pace and enthusiasm to get forward had worried Matlock’s sturdy backline throughout and he did well to control the ball on the boggy surface and power to the edge of the box.

Despite being crowded out by a gaggle of defenders, the ball fell to Matthews, who slammed a low 20-yard effort into Jameson’s bottom left corner.

The goal would have been enough to win the game but McPhee wrapped up a much-needed victory and ensured they ended a winless four-match run with a well-taken penalty, when Farrell had been dragged down by James Lukic after a typically fleet-footed break by the hitman.

That goal had killed off a spirited fight back by the home side, who went for broke after Harriers had opened the scoring.

Top scorer Ross Hannah, who had already been stopped by a well-timed tackle by Caines, saw a low shot roll dangerously across the face of goal on a bobbly pitch, while Nathan Benger shot over from an acute angle after Singh had been dispossessed.

But at best there were only half chances as Harriers ended Matlock’s 10-match unbeaten run and showed that the season is far from being a lost cause.

Harriers: Singh 7; Courtney 6; McPhee 6; Caines 7; Andrew 6; Hayward 6; Bennett 6; Smikle 6; Knights 6 (Dolman, 80); Farrell 8; Matthews 6 (Baker, 94). Unused substitutes: Coleman; Hadley; Sharpe.

Matlock: Jameson; Yates; Featherstone; King; Sturdy; Lukic; Davies; Warne; Haran; Hannah; Algar (Benger, 77). Unused substitutes: Brough; Cartwright; Wood; Buxton.

Referee: M Bristow. Attendance: 460