HARRIERS 1 SCUNTHORPE 3

IF Kidderminster Harriers' play-off aspirations do go flat, then the county of Lincolnshire will have played a big part.

Harriers are yet to beat a team from that neck of the woods this season following comprehensive defeats to Boston and Scunthorpe on successive weekends.

The results could cost Harriers come May with the Division Three games gradually grinding to a halt.

Saturday's 3-1 defeat to top-10 rivals Scunthorpe can only be put down as a major blow to their promotion chances.

Harriers looked anything but play-off contenders and crucially failed to bounce back from the bad Boston defeat at the first time of asking.

Two goals in as many minutes in the first half proved vital with Harriers again failing to cope with the opposition defensively, despite reverting to a 4-2-2 formation.

Dion Scott and on-loan teenager Wes Morgan, making his debut, formed a new partnership in the centre of defence but it proved to be a baptism of fire in the first period.

Harriers had posed a mild threat before they fell behind but the chances did not fall to the strikers or even goal-scoring midfielder John Melligan.

Sam Shilton flicked a Danny Williams cross over the bar on just 40 seconds.

Shilton returned the compliment with a deep corner that Williams nodded closer to goal but with a similar result, a goal-kick.

Then Scott poked a shot weakly at keeper Tom Evans on 31 minutes after Sean Flynn's free-kick bobbed around the area.

But it was the old Premiership quality of winger Peter Beagrie that set Scunthorpe's victory charge in motion a minute later.

The former Everton man cut in easily from the left and fired a curling drive which found the net via a deflection and the far post.

Moments later, Matt Sparrow enjoyed acres of space on the other flank and Fraser Digby parried his shot but straight to top scorer Martin Carruthers who made no mistake from close range.

It could have been worse before the break but Paul Hayes lobbed over and Digby did well to block another clear chance for Sparrow.

Harriers had fallen apart just like they did at Boston but this time there was a quick response four minutes after the break.

Melligan pulled a great pass back from the right wing and Bo Henriksen calmly steered home his 18th goal of the season from 10 yards.

But the goal did little to lift Harriers out of another lack-lustre display and Digby was forced to save at Hayes' feet on 66 minutes.

Scunthorpe grabbed a deserved third goal when sub Andy Parton was needlessly clipped by Williams in the box and Beagrie tucked the ball home from the spot.

Though Henriksen fired straight at Evans after a good piece of skill in the box, Harriers lost this match with barely a whimper and were a bitter disappointment.

HARRIERS: Digby 6; Smith 5, Morgan 6, Scott 5, Hinton 5; MELLIGAN 6, Williams 6 (Parrish 82), Flynn 5, Shilton 5; Henriksen 5, Bishop 5. Subs not used: Brock, Broughton, Foster, Coleman.

SCUNTHORPE: Evans; Stanton, Jackson, Ridley, Dawson; Sparrow, Graves (Parton 52), Kilford, Beagrie; Carruthers, Hayes (Cotterill 90). Subs not used: Taylor, Butler, Capp.

ATTENDANCE: 2,834.

SHOTS ON: Harriers 4, Scunthorpe 8.

SHOTS OFF: Harriers 6, Scunthorpe 2.

CORNERS: Harriers 4, Scunthorpe 4.

GOALS: Beagrie 32, Carruthers 33, Henriksen 49, Beagrie 73.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 2 (Bishop, Melligan), Scunthorpe 0.

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: John Melligan. Created Harriers' goal and gave some glimpses of his class on the right wing in a poor team display.