Kidderminster assistant manager Neil Howarth admits that the club’s marathon run of fixtures over April is what ultimately could have cost them a play-off place.

Harriers ended the campaign on Sunday two points and a place off fifth, after losing 1-0 to a 90th minute goal on the last day to Kettering at Aggborough.

It was the club’s NINTH game in April, after a succession of postponements and reschedules led to them playing six games in 12 days to kick off the month.

None of the other play-off chasers faced that sort of schedule and it proved to their cost, back-to-back defeats in the last two games cost them a play-off place.

Now the Harriers No 2 has refused to deny that the powers-that-be have cost them the chance of promotion.

He said: “I must admit that for the last month of so of this season, we have not had anything go our way. That made sequence of games didn’t help, no doubt about it. It would have taken a toll on any team.

“But I don’t even think we ran out of steam in the end. We kept on pushing right until the end but, when we did the games underway, a couple of decisions that could have made all the difference didn’t go our way.

“I know all teams can say that over the season, but it hurts that little bit more over the season. But we couldn’t have asked any more of the lads though, they have been fantastic.”