Harriers slumped to their third defeat in four games despite giving a battling performance that deserved more from the game; poor finishing and dubious refereeing contributing to their downfall.

New signing Marc Pugh had to be content with a place on the bench before making his debut and there was no place at all for Mitch Butler as all three players, Mark Jackson, Daryl Burgess and Iyseden Christie, who had been doubtful before the game made it to the starting eleven.  Christie returned to the side in place of the injured Gareth Sheldon while Martin O'Connor was replaced by Laurie Wilson and Michael Blackwood returned on the left in place of Simon Russell.

After surviving an early scare when former Harrier Darryn Stamp brought a save from Daniel Lewis; Harriers began to get into the game and should have built an early lead.  A deep cross from the left by Wayne Hatswell was only half cleared and fell to Christie whose shot was blocked by Ollie Berquez; moments later Christie made a good run into the penalty area on the left and pulled the ball back to the far post where Simon Heslop fired wide with the goal gaping in front of him.

The promising start made by Harriers was undone midway through the half when the home team were awarded a penalty after Hatswell had handled in a crowded penalty area.  Hatswell was booked and now has five yellow cards meaning he will be suspended for the next game.  Stamp stepped forward and despatched the penalty just beyond Lewis' dive to his left.

Straight away the advantage was nearly doubled when a long ball over the top opened up the Harriers defence and set Stamp clear on goal but his shot was saved by the outstretched foot of Lewis for a corner.  The respite was brief, however, as from the corner Barry Laker was allowed to charge in unhindered at the far post and outjump Mark Jackson to head in a second goal.

Harriers were knocked back now and for a while were out of the game but eventually began to find a way back into it and in the final minutes of the half could have given themselves a lifeline if they had not wasted a number of chances.  A good cross from the left by Blackwood was missed at the near post by the disappointing Taiwo Atieno and at the far by Heslop; another deep Hatswell cross was headed wide of the near post by Christie and then Christie set Blackwood free on the left but his cross was missed by Atieno.

The second half was not so good as a spectacle; the home team seemingly content to sit back, comfortable with their two-goal lead.  Harriers were handed a lifeline, though, on 67 minutes when Laker carelessly headed back towards keeper Alan Julian without looking and Christie was able to nip in and head home his sixth goal of the season.

Before Harriers could gather themselves to push for an equaliser the referee stepped in to push the initiative back towards the home team.  George Boyd made a run into the penalty area on the left, Hatswell came across from the other flank and made an excellent tackle to halt him but Mr Ward decided that it was a foul and pointed to the penalty spot.  Fortunately for Harriers he didn't feel that another yellow card was needed for Hatswell although Johnny Mullins received one for his protests.  Stamp again stepped forward and again Lewis guessed correctly, diving to his left, but was unable to reach it.

The game was over now for Harriers, they stopped creating chances and didn't seem to know how they might get themselves back into the game even though they carried on battling to the end.  Blackwood drifted out of the game after having looked the most likely to create something in the first half, probably tired after being out of the team for so long.  In an attempt to get something late on Harriers switched to 4-3-3 with Lee Thompson replacing Christie who limped out of the game towards the end and Pugh came on for his first taste of senior football but did not have long enough to make an impact.