HARRIERS manager Mark Yates blamed a poor second half for Harriers' 1-0 loss to Exeter City in the Blue Square Premier in Devon on Saturday (read report).

The Worcestershire side had more than matched their opponents in the first half but paid the price for a sloppy start to the second period, which allowed Matthew Gill to grab the winner in the 58th minute.

Defeat means Harriers are waiting for their first Blue Square Premier victory since defeating Burton Albion 2-0 in November.

"I think I'm sick of saying, and I am sure the supporters are, that we should have got something out of the game," said Yates.

"We came to a good footballing side who are up there and given as good as we've got but we've got nothing from it, which is bitterly disappointing considering the number of chances we had and decent play we conjured up in the first half.

"I set the boys a challenge at half-time. We've had too many poor second half performances this season and the players assured me that they would get out and perform and not enough of them did.

"We started the second half sloppily and gave them too much possession. You can't switch off for a moment against decent sides, we did and it has cost us dear."

Despite the defeat the game was a familliar tale, where Harriers wasted decent scoring chances in the first period.

Harriers allowed Exeter to control the game in the second half but could have snatched a point late on but Christie and Darryl Knights missed chances in the final minute.

Yates said: "Iyseden had several chances but I don't castigate people for that - you have to be in the right position at right time to score.

"But there comes a time when we continue not to take chances that you have to ask questions.

"We didn't start the second half well and we were on the back foot for 15 minutes. We struggled to gain any momentum and made the wrong decision too many times.

"We didn't keep the ball, defend properly and had a go at the end. That's not from instructions from me to let Exeter have the ball and do what they like. The players have to be better than they are producing."