WITH 42 points left on offer this season, boss Mark Yates has vowed that he'll 'never let go' of Harriers' play-off dreams despite a 2-1 defeat to Gravesend and Northfleet at Aggborough today.

Speaking after the match, Yates admitted 45 lifeless first-half minutes were nowhere near good enough as they gifted an early goal to Liam Daish's men, but pointed out the game was theirs for the taking following Luke Reynolds' equaliser.

"The first half wasn't acceptable in terms of effort, endeavour and enthusiasm but in the second half we came straight out of the traps, scored a good goal and then there looked only one team in it," Yates began.

"But unfortunately we haven't taken a number of the chances that came along and we've been punished at the end."

Halifax Town come to Aggborough in midweek, now effectively a must-win game, as Yates concurred:

"We need to get three points on Tuesday now, it's imperative; we can't get too far adrift." He continued.

"I know people will think 'yeah that's the end of our run' - but that's okay. We still know we're in with a shout, there's 42 points to play for and I still think we've got a chance.

"I will never let it go - there's belief and confidence within the squad and the results we're getting don't reflect the performances we're putting in.

"We perhaps just need that complete, 90-minute performance which perhaps we haven't had often this season, just a lot of 45, 60 and 75 minute performances.

"That 90 minute performance today would have got us three points quite comfortably."