RED-FACED Kidderminster Harriers capitulated spectacularly with the kind of heavy, embarrassing defeat that was probably on the cards.

With the exception of the Worthington Cup clash with Preston, the Harriers team has just not got going this season.

Tuesday's 4-0 thrashing at near rivals Shrewsbury Town was not even a case of that - the majority of the team may as well have just not turned up.

From the moment Steve Jagielka fired the high-flying home side into a frighteningly easy fifth-minute lead, the writing was on the wall.

Harriers retained their inability to score goals - failing to seriously test keeper Mark Cartwright at all - but this time the defence joined them with an inept display.

Hapless Stuart Brock in goal - who has surprised some with his good start to the season - could do nothing about the four goals that flew past him.

Elsewhere on the pitch, 20-year-old Ben Davies fought the Harriers cause almost single-handedly with boss Jan Molby accusing his players of hiding behind the youngster.

Though this was quite correct, few - including the manager himself as he later admitted - could escape blame for this debacle.

Harriers, admittedly stung by a couple of injuries, still had a capable team to pick from but the end product is as clear on paper as it was for those watching at Gay Meadow.

Their record reads: lost all four games on their travels, failed to score in the last three fixtures and without a win in five.

As Harriers slip menacingly towards the bottom of Division Three, it is very difficult not to be negative at the moment - even at such an early stage.

Their pre-season form showed a lot of potential but the league campaign is proving a completely different prospect.

While the chances of an away result remain so slim, there will be increasing pressure for Harriers to do the business at Aggborough.

There were more than a few surprises in the team selection on Tuesday with wide-men Tony Bird and Sam Shilton dropped to the bench in favour of a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Mark Shail, Dean Bennett and Colin Larkin were added to the injury list, while Frenchman Parfait Medou-Otye failed to materialise after the end of his suspension.

The main shock arrived with left-sided Scott Stamps in the centre of defence, while Andy Ducros was given a role behind Ian Foster and Drewe Broughton to supposedly pep up a goal-shy Harriers.

But with only five minutes gone, Danny Williams miscontrolled the ball in midfield giving the home side a breakaway.

With the ball heading out to the right-hand side of the area, Karl Murray gained a lucky break to beat Ian Joy's attempted tackle.

With Adie Smith and Stamps stranded, Murray pulled the ball back for Steve Jagielka, with space and time in the middle of the area, to rifle home the opener.

The tigerish Davies did brilliantly to block a close-range effort from Luke Rodgers on 21 minutes with Harriers trying to fight their way back into a scrappy contest.

But the visitors had little or no penetration and another sloppy bit of play, this time a poor pass out of defence from Smith, led to another goal on the stroke of half-time.

On intercepting the ball, Rodgers waltzed past several players before rocketing a terrific finish into Brock's net from 15 yards.

The sought-after striker rose to convert a superb header four minutes after the break, meeting Nigel Jemson's cross on the edge of the area.

And Rodgers' hat-trick was so easy on 79 minutes when Murray sent him through the middle and he confidently beat Brock.

Worryingly, Shrewsbury were really not that good though obviously improved from the struggles of past seasons. It was just Kidderminster were that bad.

Harriers make the long trip to fellow strugglers Hartlepool at the weekend, needing an away result sooner rather than later to stop the rot setting in.

Shrewsbury: Cartwright; Drysdale, Redmile, Heathcote, Rioch; Jagielka, Murray, Atkins, Aiston (Moss 86); Jemson, Rodgers. Subs not used: Wilding, Dunbavin, Tretton, Lowe.

Harriers: Brock 6; Clarkson 5, Smith 4, Stamps 5, Joy 5; DAVIES 7, Williams 5 (Bird 55, 5), Blake 5; Ducros 4 (Shilton 55, 5); Broughton 4, Foster 4 (Hadley 77). Subs not used: Murphy, Sall.

ATTENDANCE: 3,530.

SHOTS ON: Shrewsbury 4 Harriers 1.

SHOTS OFF: Shrewsbury 4 Harriers 6.

CORNERS: Shrewsbury 0 Harriers 4.

GOALS: Shrewsbury, Jagielka 5, Rodgers 45, 49, 79.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 1, Davies.

SHUTTLE STAR MAN BEN DAVIES: The young midfielder stood out as the one who wanted to fight for the cause. His committed display was the only beacon of light for Harriers on a dark night.