Kidderminster Harriers 4 Alty 0

3:30pm Friday 29th August 2008

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TEN-man Alty suffered an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Kidderminster.

Although the Robins already trailed 1-0 at the time of Chris Lane’s dismissal for deliberate handball during the first half, that decision effectively changed the game.

A penalty was also awarded as Lane was adjudged to have illegally blocked Mark Creighton’s goalbound effort and from a position where they could easily have launched a fightback, Alty suddenly found themselves dead and buried.

For the third game in a row, sloppy defending saw the visitors go behind early on.

After he was beaten by Martin Brittain, Matt Doughty crudely hauled the midfielder to the ground and from the resultant free kick Creighton powered a header home with just six minutes on the clock.

That eased the hosts’ jitters and they began to take control of proceedings, Justin Richards and Matthew Barnes-Homer both coming close to extending the lead.

Then came the game’s turning point as Stuart Coburn superbly blocked a shot from Creighton’s but the Kidderminster skipper’s close range follow-up was fired straight at Lane on the goalline.

Despite the protestations of the Alty players, Lane was dismissed, the referee pointed to the spot and Richards stepped up to make it 2-0.

Alty never stood a chance in the second half.

Although Greg Young headed over from a corner soon after the break and Robbie Lawton fired narrowly wide, Kidderminster were barely troubled.

Instead, they forged even further ahead when Brittain pounced once Mark McGregor had blocked David McDermott’s shot to rifle home.

The home side continued to pile on the pressure late on and Coburn was forced to save well from Darryl Knights, while Richards shot just past the post.

It seemed only a matter of time before they added to their tally and five minutes before the end, substitute Brian Smikle latched onto a superb through ball from Russell Penn before chipping over the advancing Coburn.