Harriers were defeated by two Luton goals in the last fifteen minutes, including a last-minute winner, that left them ruing missed chances in a dramatic and controversial first half.

The first half was initially good for Harriers, the visitors allowing them plenty of time and space to knock the ball around.  It was the visitors, however, who had the first good chance to open the scoring; Chris McPhee, still in the heart of the defence in an unchanged Harriers side, made a poor clearance that was played back in to Ben Wright who hit his shot on the turn over the bar.

Within a minute Harriers were ahead; Duane Courtney's cross from the right found Matt Barnes-Homer at the near post on the edge of the penalty area, he chested the ball down and spun and hit a low shot across Mark Tyler in The Hatters' goal to record his seventh goal of the season.

Harriers should have built upon their lead, and could have had the game wrapped up long before the drama kicked-off; Lee Baker's cross from the left was flicked on by Barnes-Homer just out of the reach of Robbie Matthews shortly after the goal.  On the half-hour Barnes-Homer's cross from the right picked out Brian Smikle whose goal bound header was well saved by Tyler and when Barnes-Homer fired the loose ball back across goal there was nobody there to apply the finishing touch.  Five minutes before the interval Baker's corner from the right was not cleared and McPhee saw his shot cleared off the line.

Moments later the game was turned upon its head.  Luton midfielder Rossi Jarvis made a needless, reckless, challenge on McPhee on the touchline near midfield and was shown the red card.  McPhee hobbled on for a short while but had to be substituted by Gavin Caines.  In stoppage time at the end of the half Harriers themselves were reduced to ten men when Matthews was adjudged to have stamped on Tyler as he leapt over him as the keeper saved at his feet, the referee possibly influenced by the reaction of Tyler and the baying Luton fans just a few yards away behind the goal.

After the interval Luton began to take control of the game and kept Harriers penned back inside their own half for extended periods of the game.  Ten minutes in Adam Newton's cross from the right was headed wide of the far post by Asa Hall.  At the other end Smikle had a great chance to double the lead on the hour, set up by Dean Bennett he lashed at his shot and blasted it over the bar from a narrow angle.

Freddie Murray set up another chance for Luton as the visitors continued to press but his cross from the left was headed weakly at Dean Coleman by substitute Ryan Charles.  It was no surprise, then, when Town drew level with fifteen minutes still to play; a cross from the left was not cleared properly and fell to Newton who hit a blistering volley that gave Coleman no chance before going in off the bar.

Despite being pegged back for most of the half it seemed that Harriers would at least hold on to take a point but in the last minute they were sunk when Charles met Newton's cross from the right and lifted it past Coleman to send the visiting support into raptures.