"WE'VE GOT TO BE BETTER": Boss Mark Yates admitted he's expecting a better performance in Essex on Tuesday.

BOSS Mark Yates acknowledged after today's draw with Braintree that his side just didn't do enough to break down the determined Conference South play-off chasers.

Following the 0-0 draw at Aggborough Stadium in the FA Carlsberg Trophy, Yates reflected: "We didn't play with a good enough tempo and the energy levels were down.

"We had some key players missing but a couple of them could be back for Tuesday and I'm expecting a better footballing performance and I think we'll get that.

"It was a bad day at the office but we live to fight another day, some of the lads will come back into the reckoning but there's no doubt we've got to be better.

"If we're better on Tuesday we'll be okay."

The sounds of boos echoed throughout parts of Aggborough at the final whistle, understandably something that's surprised the Harriers' chief with his players still in the midst of a 12 game unbeaten run.

"There was a bit of booing at the end of the game and that disappointed me, I don't think the team deserve that," he added.

"We're unbeaten in the last 12 games, we've won ten of those and drawn two and a section boo? I don't understand that.

"We didn't perform today, we know that but it didn't warrant the booing and that disappointed me as much as the performance.

"It's not going to be perfect and we aren't going to win every match and we aren't going to steamroller teams like this, we didn't do enough and we didn't break them down.

"The fans have been fantastic to us this season and this was really the first time, but that's all I want to say on it."