Harriers' will be playing in Division Three next season after their last lingering hopes of a spot in the
play-offs were ended by their heaviest league defeat of the season at The Kingston Communications Stadium.
The home team got off to the best possible start after just five minutes when Carl Regan chased after Dean
Ketes' pass into the penalty area and was brought down by Scott Stamps even though Regan had overhit his first
touch and the ball was going to go out of play. Ben Burgess stepped up to take the kick and even though
Stuart Brock guessed correctly and dived to his right the shot was placed just out of his reach.
Harriers battled back into the game and after 13 minutes had a good chance to draw level, Sean Flynn's left
wing corner found an unmarked Dion Scott at the far post who headed wastefully over the bar. The game
soon settled down into a midfield battle with the home team enjoying the majority of possession with Harriers
perhaps overawed by the splendid surrounds of Hull's new stadium. Just after the half-hour mark Stuart
Elliott won the ball just inside the Harriers half and was allowed to run all the way to the edge of the
penalty area on the left and drove a shot just wide of the far post.
Shortly afterwards Harriers came close again, Sam Shilton hit a rasping drive from the edge of the area that
Alan Fettis in the City goal did well to tip over the bar. From the resultant corner the ball was
only half cleared and Craig Hinton's cross from the right was turned in to the net by Bo Henriksen but
the linesman had his flag raised and the goal was not allowed to stand. Harriers were beginning to
enjoy the game and were getting on top until Jon Walters played a harmless looking ball into the penalty
area. Scott hesitated, appearing to expect Brock to come and collect it, and as he did Burgess curled
his leg around the defender and poked the ball into the bottom corner to put the home team two up against
the run of play. Before the break they couold have had a third when Elliott headed Walters' cross
over the bar.
At the interval Harriers mad a switch bringing Hugh McAuley on for Scott with Danny Williams moving back into
the centre of the defence. The introduction of McAuley gave Harriers more inventiveness in the centre
of midfield and they looked capable of getting back into the game. Just a minute of the second half
had passed when Henriksen agains had the ball in the net but again it was ruled out, this time because he was
adjudged to have fouled Fettis in th eprocess of headeding the ball in.
Ten minutes later McAuley made a mistake that almost cost another goal, getting caught in possession by Walters
who set Steve Melton clear on goal but he fired his shot over Brock and over the bar. Just before the
hour mark McAuley went close to opening his Harriers goalscoring account with a 25 yard free kick that beat
the wall but curled narrowly wide of the post. The Harriers goal was not long in coming, however, Henriksen
got away from Jon Otsembor on the left wing and crossed dangerously to the near post towards Drewe Broughton,
Fettis beat the big striker to the ball but his punch only reached the edge of the penalty area where Sean
Parrish was waiting and he hit a low first-time shot back through the crowd of legs and under the keeper to
register his fifth goal of the season.
Harriers began to get on top again and after 72 minutes Parrish almost levelled the scores, Broughton headed
a deep left wing cross down into his path but his volley was snatched and went wide. Three minutes later
the action switched to the other end, Elliott found himself unmarked on the end of a right wing cross and his
header beat Brock but was cleared of the line by Williams, the loose ball fell to Walters who shot just wide
with the goal at his mercy. With thirteen minutes remaining Harriers boss Ian Britton decided to go
for broke and threw on Ian Foster and Andy Bishop in place of Shilton and Parrish and played with five men
in attack. Unfortunately for Harriers before they had time to make the extra forwards to make a difference
they were 3-1 down. The ball was played down the Hull left allowing Craig Hinton plenty of time to intercept,
however, insead of clearing the danger he turned and attempted a pass back to Brock but hit it so weakly that
the keeper had no chance beating Walters to it and the striker curled a sht round him from the edge of the
penalty area.
The visitors' heads visibly dropped at this set back and Hull controlled the remaining minutes of the game
and two minutes from time added a fourth goal that gave the scoreline a unflattering look, the ball was
crossed from the right and Brock started to come for it but got nowhere near it and was left stranded as Burgess'
header looped over him into the net.
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