Saturday, September 21, 2002

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' boss Ian Britton defended striker Drewe Broughton after he missed a hat-trick of chances in Saturday's goalless draw with high-flying Rochdale at Aggborough.

Striker Broughton fluffed a couple of headers following crosses from Sam Shilton and then wasted a golden opportunity in stoppage time when he fired over from point blank range.

Frustrated Britton said: "He's had three great chances but in his defence he's working very, very hard for the team.

"But at the end of the day he's up there to score goals and he hasn't. He hasn't scored one in ten games now."

Britton, however, regarded Harriers untiring performance as their best so far this season.

It was their seventh draw in ten league outings and ended third-in-the-table Rochdale's run of three away wins on the trot.

Britton said: "We played very well. We were the better side, but we missed chances and we can't keep carrying on like this.

"The defence are doing their jobs but we are not sticking them away at the other end. We are talking about good chances here, not just little half chances. We have to just keep working hard and hopefully it will come right.

"Considering they are third in the league and doing very well we totally outplayed them and to be fair to their assistant manager he came over and said we are the best team that they have played this season.

"If we play like that consistently throughout the season then we'll be in the top seven. Our defence has got better, but we can still improve. It's at the other end now that we have got to sort out.

"Besides Drewe we have had four or five great chances and not taken them.

"It's left me with mixed emotions because we haven't taken all three points and because we have played so well. All we can do is play as we are doing."

Mid-table Harriers, whose preparations for the match were hampered by a stomach bug which affected a number of players, regularly had Rochdale on the back foot and in the 29th minute the eye-catching Barry Williams had a fierce 30 yard shot fisted away by keeper Neil Edwards.

A couple of minutes later Broughton misdirected a header following a cross from Shilton before the visitors manager and leading scorer Paul Simpson hammered a 15 yard shot wide in the early stages of the second half.

Simpson also forced a good save in Brock before Kidderminster put Rochdale under heavy pressure in the last quarter of an hour.

After Dean Bennett and Ian Foster had come on as substitutes for Craig Hinton and John Melligan, Broughton headed wide from another tempting cross from Shilton.

Bennett also had an effort well saved by Edwards before a cross shot from Foster hit the post and rebounded to safety.

Sean Flynn then fired inches over the bar before Broughton missed his stoppage time sitter, forcing Harriers to settle for a draw which extends their unbeaten league run to seven matches.

Simpson said afterwards: "It was a hell of a battle. It's never an easy place to come to. They are on a decent run so we have to be happy with the point.

"They put us under a lot of pressure and missed chances at the end of the game, but we also had our chances."

Kidderminster have been draw away to Nationwide Conference side Dagenham & Redbridge in the first round of the LDV Vans Trophy.

The tie is due to be played week commencing October 21.