Needham Market manager Kevin Horlock believes defeats to Kidderminster Harriers and Brackley Town highlights need to be better in both boxes

Needham Market manager Kevin Horlock has called for his team to improve in both boxes falling two home defeats within a week, against Kidderminster Harriers and then Brackley Town, writes Drew Kendall.

The Marketmen went into both home clashes four points behind both visitors to the Ecologic Stadium Bloomfields but lost both games after conceding three times each, 3-0 on Saturday to Kidderminster and 3-1 Tuesday to Brackley.

However, Horlock did see an improvement in Tuesday’s defeat to Brackley with the pair of defeats leaving his newly-promoted side bottom of the Vanarama National League North table for the first time, though as one of five teams now tied on 10 points.

While Phil Brown’s Poppies outfit went into the break 2-0 up on Saturday, Gavin Cowan’s side struck three times from set-pieces in the first half – despite the Marketmen having enough chances to earn a point against the latter.

“It’s frustrating because on the night I thought between the two boxes we played reasonably well but unfortunately they were better than us in both boxes,” Horlock said.

“They defended better than us and obviously they were clinical and I think it set up nicely for them. Obviously 40 seconds in or a minute in, a long throw in the box, free header, unopposed finish which is obviously disappointing and it gives us a mountain to climb.

“We tried to climb it then we give them another goal and you just can’t give goals away at this level, you get punished and it makes it very difficult.

“They’ve sat off and sat deep and looked to hit us on the counter attack where they still look dangerous.

“I can’t fault the lads inbetween the boxes but unfortunately that’s not what wins you games. Defending and putting your bodies on the line and winning headers in our own box and being clinical in the other box is what gets you points and, unfortunately, we didn’t do either of them today.”

Horlock’s side were without three key defenders on Tuesday, with Tommy Smith, captain Keiran Morphew and Dan Morphew joining midfielder Dylan Williams on the sidelines.

“I think they recognised that we’re missing possibly three of the back four tonight in Dan Morphew, Keiran Morphew, Tommy Smith, they’re big players for us but that said, they threw the first ball in the box and scored from it and then loaded it for more areas then.”

“If you’re not going to win first contact you’ve got to make it difficult for them and you’ve certainly got to win the second contact which we didn’t and that’s where the goals come from.”

Of what he wants to see from his side now, going into tomorrow’s trip to 16th-placed Buxton, he said: “Just to be a bit more aggressive in both boxes really to obviously get numbers in the opposing box to create chances to score. You need to get around it because I knew they were going to throw things in the box, and I think we did it slightly better second half, but that said once they got the third goal they were obviously dropping deep and soaking pressure up.”

Kyle Hammond however did give Horlock’s side hope of a result in the 12th minute, then making the scoreline 1-1, but Needham fell behind six minutes later.

The midfielder recently surpassed 150 appearances for the club, expressing his pride in the achievement.

“I’m proud of that, 150 appearances in three full seasons and hopefully there will be many more!”