Yates says squad will bounce back

Mark Yates is confident his young side can get their season back on course

Kidderminster Harriers manager Mark Yates is confident that his young squad have what it takes to get their play-off challenge back on track.

After successive home defeats Yates has noticed a renewed determination among his players during training.

"From what I have seen the players were as hurt as I was," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"We've got 16 games left and nothing has changed as we are still right in the mix."

After the shock of Sunday's 2-1 home reversal against a Northwich Victoria side that arrived at Aggborough as the division's bottom club, Harriers suffered a further setback against Cambridge United on Tuesday night.

Matt Barnes-Homer's goal was the one bright spot of an otherwise sub-standard Harriers performance as Yates' side slipped to a 3-1 home defeat.

I can see in their eyes that they are disappointed and what I have seen on the training ground has really pleased me

Mark Yates

"We'd started off quite brightly but then conceded the penalty followed by the second goal," he said.

"We came back into it and scored, but it was a lacklustre performance in the second half.

"I told the players a few home truths afterwards in the dressing room."

While it would be easy for a largely young squad to be down after two home defeats, Yates insists this is far from the case.

And he has detected a steely determination among the players that they have a point to prove when they head to Wrexham next Tuesday night.

The Wrexham fixture is dependent on the Welsh club not drawing in Saturday's FA Trophy quarter-final against Ebbsfleet United at the Racecourse Ground.

Were that game to finish all square, then there would be a replay which would lead to Harriers' trip to North Wales being postponed.

But Yates says he cannot concern himself about issues over which he has no control.

"All we can do is prepare for Wrexham and get that shape, desire and commitment back into the team that has not been there in its usual amounts in the last couple of games," he said.

"The boys will be fine as I can see in their eyes that they are disappointed and what I have seen on the training ground has really pleased me."

Assuming Harriers' game at Wrexham does go ahead as planned (24 February, 1945 GMT), there will be full commentary on the match online at bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester.