Saturday, February 12, 2000

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers moved six points clear at the top of the Nationwide Conference when two Stewart Hadley goals helped them overcome Hednesford Town 3-0 at Aggborough on Saturday.

Adie Smith also got on the scoresheet as manager Jan Molby's promotion-hopefuls stretched their unbeaten league run to 12 matches.

It also enabled them to complete the 'double' over the Pitmen who lost 2-0 at home to Harriers in November.

Molby said: ''We didn't play particularly well in the first half. We improved slightly in the second, but in the end it was a very comfortable 3-0 win.

''Hednesford could have possibly nick-ed one or two in the first half but we had a lot of chances ourselves in the second.

''We had players out there who can play a lot better, but they just didn't have to. We just had a little bit too much quality for them in the more vital areas.''

Kidderminster's lead at the top of the table increased thanks to Rushden & Diamonds' comprehensive 4-0 triumph over Dover who were in second place.

They are now in fourth spot with Rushden taking over the No 2 berth with two matches in hand over Molby's men.

Yeovil, who drew 1-1 at Southport, are also six points behind Harriers who have played the same amount of games.

Molby said: ''Rushden are still there with their matches in hand, but they have got to win them. We would have loved a different result down at Dover but we have just got to worry about what we do now.''

Although they took time to get into their stride on Saturday, Kidderminster finally broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute when Dean Bennett laid on the opportunity for Hadley to score with a well placed curling shot from 18 yards.

It was a goal which seemed to knock the stuffing out of Hednesford who a few minutes earlier had a Stuart Lake 'goal' disallowed for a foul on 'keeper Tim Clarke.

After the interval Kidderminster quickly began to turn the screw and in the 49th minute Smith scored his first goal of the season, a low diving header following a deflected free-kick by Scott Stamps.

Hednesford's Scott Bettney was denied by a fine save by Clarke before Harriers sealed their 11th home league win of the season with another goal from hot-shot Hadley. This time he just had to knock the ball over the line after it had re-bounded off the bar following a deflected shot by Ian Foster.

It was Hadley's seventh goal of the campaign and provided the final touches to Harriers fifth league win on the trot, the last three without conceding a goal.