Saturday, April 26, 2003

THE reasons why Kidderminster Harriers failed to make the Division Three play-offs were there for all to see in Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Hull City.

Harriers' hopes of making the top seven finally died at Hull's impressive

new KC Stadium but they again contributed to their own downfall through

defensive blunders.

They gave away a penalty after just six minutes and eventually self destructed as the home side's Ben Burgess got off the mark in spectacular style at his new club with a hat-trick.

Sean Parrish bagged a well-taken volley for a 60th-minute consolation with Harriers allowed to dominate much of the second half.

Angry boss Ian Britton, whose side have won just one of the last 10 games, admitted: "I'm just happy we had the points in the bag from earlier in the season.

"You look at the four goals and ask could they have been stopped? The answer for each one is yes. It's been like that all season.

"I'm not taking anything away from Hull because they were the better side but we always tend to give goals away.

"We have players here who think they know better but they keep making mistakes week in week out. No team has to work hard against us to get a goal."

Striker Bo Henriksen reportedly could be a summer target for Hull's ex-England caretaker boss Peter Taylor.

And 20-goal Henriksen, who had two headers disallowed for offside and a foul

on the keeper, will be getting increasingly frustrated with his team's errors at the back.

Carl Regan was given acres of space on the right-hand side on six minutes and Scott Stamps' lunging challenge resulted in a penalty that Burgess calmly dispatched.

Harriers produced neat football in response and Hull keeper Alan Fettis tipped over Sam Shilton's 20-yarder on 35 minutes.

But the Yorkshire side were still dangerous and Burgess claimed his second seven minutes before the interval from 10 yards after defender Dion Scott failed to clear a loose ball.

Keeper Stuart Brock tipped a Jon Walters' shot around the post but was not busy for large spells of the second half.

Parrish responded with his fifth goal of the season on the hour after Fettis could only punch Bo Henriksen's cross to the edge of the area while under pressure from Drewe Broughton.

The midfielder then sent another effort into the side netting but Danny Williams, pushed back into defence at half-time, had to nod Stuart Elliott's header off the line.

Harriers were a beaten side on 80 minutes when Walters caught out Craig Hinton on the left flank and ran on to beat the advancing Brock.

The keeper was completely stranded two minutes from time when an unmarked Burgess glanced a header over him to complete his triple strike and Harriers' biggest league defeat of the season.