Was't we lucky

[Bill Kent]

 

 

James Constable's second-half hat-trick wasn't enough to give Harriers another league win at Ebbsfleet today as they paid the price for a sloppy first half despite fighting back superbly from 4-1 down.

 

A hat-trick away from home will normally guarantee you victory almost anywhere in football, except today it would seem.

 

From extensive delays, a late kick-off and nine goals it appears to the natural that this day in Ebbsfleet pretty much had it all - but there was as much of the bad as the was of the good, certainly if you're of a Harriers persuasion.

 

James Constable took his scoring tally to six in nine games with another three-goal haul at Stonebridge Road, but those exploits were only making up for an earlier calamity of errors that had twice seen the visitors trailing by three goals.

 

Liam Daish's side weren't the proverbial 'world-beaters' but after being arguably gifted three goals, they should easily have waltzed away with three points today but in the end they may well be grateful to have just about scampered off with them.

 

Extensive and serious motorway delays saw the Harriers' players coach ride go on past 3:00pm. After squeezing in a 20-minute warm-up the game finally got underway half an hour late in hurried fashion and it was in the same vein that Ebbsfleet - on the back of three straight defeats - took the lead.

 

Inside just four minutes, Chukkie ERIBENNE stole himself a free-header in the area to power past a helpless Dean Colemen, who'd been handed his first league start of the season with a slight calf injury to Scott Bevan requiring a few more days rest. Not the ideal beginning for Coleman and a bitterly disappointing start for a side looking to build on a good run of form.

 

There was, suspiciously, more than a hint of offside about the hosts second but the facts are all that mattered and early sub Mark DeBOLLA was left free to stab-home a rebound from close range after Stacy Long's effort had been deflected into his path.

 

Harriers looked to be trying to keep their heads above water after this and it was they who had the better of the immediate exchanges - Justin Richards forced Lance Cronin into an easy save whilst Mark Creighton thundered the woodwork.

 

A further blow was struck on 34 minutes, Jonny Harkness forced to withdraw after taking a knock to the head - Gavin Hurren was the replacement but he was powerless to stop the hosts getting a third just before the break - he'd kept ERIBBENNE at bay for about 40 yards as the striker closed down on Coleman but at the last the striker got his foot to the ball and poked it into the roof of the net.

 

You'd suspect that, as they say, 'words were had' in the dressing room at half time and the manner in which Harriers responded has to be praised. Within 14 minutes they had a goal back, Russ Penn's dangerous cross was just a little too dangerous for Warren GOODHIND to try not to intercept, unluckily for him he cannoned it off the bar and over the line for an own goal.

 

If there was one goal today that was against the run of play then it was United's fourth, but the last sentence alone sums up the haplessness of both defences. DeBOLLA was given far too much time and space to finish of a lovely move with an ever sweeter finish with an hour gone.

 

Seven minutes later and Harriers had pulled another one back, but this wasn't before they'd struck the bar twice in as many minutes to take the woodwork-rattling tally to three for the day - first James Constable's header chipped off some paint as he latched onto a great Dean Bennett ball, then Creighton then nailing the bar once again on the back of Kenna's free-kick.

 

It could so easily have been 4-3 after that, so good were the chances and therefore the next goal should have been the leveller, but as it was it was Harriers' second and a first of the afternoon for CONSTABLE as he finished excellently in-front of Cronin thanks to Richards' great cross.

 

That was on 67 minutes and a mere five later and it was 4-3 - you could latterly hear the jitters starting from around the home ends of the ground as sub Michael McGrath showed some excellent, patient touches in bringing Blackwood to the play, he chipped a lovely ball into CONSTABLE who finished well once again from the right.

 

Eight minutes from time and the 100 or so Harriers fans must have been sure the score had been made 4-4 - an identical build-up move this time saw Blackwood put in on goal - he drilled into the side-netting rather agonisingly - Harriers' near-misses throughout the day now almost totalling a goal in their own worth.

 

But football is an evil game, you see, and it has a habit of punishing such misses. Back up at the other end, Ebbsfleet broke away with Four minutes remaining - this time they beat the offside trap beautifully, Luke COLEMAN turning well and smashing home low into Coleman's left hand corner. Unbelievable.

 

Harriers just wouldn't lie down, though. James CONSTABLE sealed his second hat-trick of the month as he smashed a great volley over the heads of a crowded penalty area into the roof of the net.

 

There's no doubt that Mark Yates has more than enough right to feel aggrieved with the way his side defended today. Lest we forget, Harriers were 3-0 and 4-1 down at two intervals today and this will be infuriating given the team's recent defensive record.

 

But in August, such a first-half performance landed Harriers with a 5-1 thrashing without the slightest hint of a comeback. Today though, the visitors looked threatening and missed as many clear-cut chances as they took. On another day this could easily have been a 6-5, 7-5 win for Harriers. But this was certainly no ordinary day.

 

It's an immediate chance for Harriers to put things right on Tuesday though as Droylsden come to town in Blue Square Premier action (7.45pm).

 

James Constable - © Harriers.co.uk

Hat-trick and comeback from 4-1 down still isn't enough...

 

Match Information

 

 

 

* Match Stats

* Line-ups

 

 

Ebbsfleet Kidderminster

Goals : 5 4

Possession : 51% 49%

Shots On Target : 9 5

Shots Off Target : 5 6

Corners : 5 8

Fouls : 7 8

Most Fouls : Eribenne (3) Creighton (3)

Yellow Cards : 2 0

Red Cards : 0 0