"We were dropping like flies" - Kevin Wilkin rues bug in the camp

The prevalent flu virus reached the Bucks’ camp over Christmas, and with Wilkin’s team already weakened by injuries, illness took a further toll, ruling out any involvement for Jordan Piggott, Oliver Cawthorne and Charlie Williams.

Wilkin was rueful, admitting: “Yeah, it's a tough evening. It’s been a tough day, to be honest. My phone has been going off all day, and it felt like we were dropping like flies; there's obviously a bug in the camp, and lots of the boys have got it.

"I think there are six who are down with the flu or whatever it is that haven't been able to join us tonight, albeit a couple of those are injured anyway, but there are certainly four players there that we could have done with tonight.”

Piggott and Cawthorne, the Bucks’ current first-choice central defensive pairing, were the most notable absentees, and shorn of their services, Wilkin paired left-back Jordan Cranston and debutant Ed Ikpakwu in an untried duo.

Harriers, fourth in the table, recorded a fifth straight league win, built on Emeka Obi’s fifth-minute opener as the Bucks found themselves in the eye of an early storm.

Wilkin had few complaints about the outcome, striking a philosophical note, although clearly galled by events and disappointed that a tremendous away following of 630 in a crowd of more than 3,000 went unrewarded. 

“Yeah, it's disappointing you have to take your medicine," added the boss. "It’s just disappointing for the people, you know? We've had a fantastic following tonight, and not to be able to play in the manner we have for the best part of this season and give ourselves the chance and opportunity again...

"It's the first time for a long while that that's been the case. Obviously, it’s no coincidence that when you've had to make so many changes and throw people in there and play people out of position, that sort of result may get thrown up. Yeah, it's frustrating. We have to deal with it and get on with it.”

Wilkin knew his team were in for a test against the full-time outfit, and Obi’s opener put the Bucks on the back foot. They recovered, but spent much of their time trying to neutralise Harriers, unable to launch any real attacking threat.

“Kidderminster are a good side in good form," he said. "We've gifted them a bit of a soft start, and it was probably the last thing we needed to do, but look, you have to move on with it. It's a measure of where we want to be and where we want to go, and it's a learning curve for all of us.

"You've got to understand and manage moments and situations and periods of the game, and we've got to do better there. We haven't started that way, I think, probably since Bedford (a 3-1 defeat in August), where we've allowed a bit of a cheap moment and situation to occur, and you fall behind.”

Wilkin was pleased that his side showed plenty of grit, and also vexed that when they did enjoy a rare moment in attack, they were denied a spot-kick when referee Jason Porter interpreted Obi’s contact that brought Remi Walker down in the box as a ‘coming together’.

“They end up being in the comfort zone, albeit credit to the boys," said Wilkin. "They've kept going, and when our period did come, quite how that's not a penalty... It's beyond me, and probably beyond most people in the stadium.

"I’m just at a loss as to why that isn't a penalty, and you need those moments and decisions to happen for you. If we could draw ourselves level, then, for the good start that they've had, all of a sudden, they're not in the comfort zone, there is a belief in our group and our team, and the outcome - I'm not saying it would necessarily be different, but it just keeps you closer to them. It keeps the game more competitive.”

The defeat dropped the Bucks to 14th in the National League North’s congested mid-table zone, and they must regroup ahead of a long trip to County Durham to face Spennymoor Town on Saturday.