Watson frustrated as South Shields fall to Kidderminster Harriers defeat

South Shields manager Ian Watson cut a frustrated figure after his side fell to a rare home defeat against National League North rivals Kidderminster Harriers.

The Mariners went into the game looking to hunt down current league leaders AFC Fylde and boost their hopes of topping the table ahead of the hectic festive fixture schedule - but came out on a wrong end of the result on a grim day at the 1st Cloud Arena.

The visitors took the lead just four minutes before half-time with a goal from David Davis before doubling their advantage with just three minutes remaining thanks to a goal from Kam Kandola. Ten minutes were added on at the end of the game and Mariners defender Dillon Morse found the net to reduce the arrears and give his side some hope of mounting a comeback that failed to come to fruition.

An open and honest Watson believes an inability to ‘find a different way’ to win the game was a key factor in his first home defeat as Mariners boss as he admitted his players ‘didn’t do enough of the other side of the game’ during the loss.

He said: “It wasn’t a very good game of football at all. The conditions were tough for us to play to our strengths so we had to find a different way and we were unable to find that different way. We didn’t win our one-v-one duels across the pitch, we weren’t clean enough on the ball and ultimately, we’ve conceded a set-piece that allows them to strengthen their game plan of trying to slow the game down.

“There were a lot of players going down whenever we got a flow in the game, which was really frustrating but we have to be able to get through those moments and we have to be able to get the momentum going again, which is hard. It’s not a thing we can afford not to do, we have to be on it, keep passing the ball, keep moving the ball, keep sticking to what we are asking the boys to do and I think we didn’t do enough of the other side of the game that we need to do to win games of football.”

Better

Watson also stressed the need for his squad to become even stronger on the back of the rare loss as opposing sides change their approach to facing the Mariners.

“We need to be a lot more together, we need to be more of a team,” explained the Mariners boss. “We need to help each other a lot more than we did today. I think we have got off to a really good start this season and we are playing really good football. The games have become a little more scrappier, teams want to kill us a little bit more than they did because of the league position and we have to step up to that and become better.”

The Mariners now have a free midweek to prepare for their FA Trophy third round home tie against National League North rivals Macclesfield.

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