Kidderminster Harriers 6 Stafford Rangers 0
Blue Square Premier
At: Aggborough
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 1240 (85 away fans)
Stafford Rangers will be looking to bounce back in Saturday's game at Woking following this defeat. Kidderminster scored four times in the first half and added two more after the break to record what was their first win since mid-January.
Manager Steve Bull MBE made three changes to the starting line-up with Alex Gibson, Chris Flynn and Damion Jarrett all recalled. Matt Hazley was missing from the squad after picking up a knock against Farsley.
Kidderminster got the game under way , attacking the scoreboard end on the south side of Aggborough which housed the travelling Stafford fans. Early on, Simon Russell went for goal early on and fired straight at the well-positioned Danny Alcock from 25-yards out. Russell also drove a low cross-sum-shot across the face of goal, perhaps hoping a teammate could get on the end. Matthew Barnes-Homes hit a right-foot drive from 25 yards out which flew wide of the left-hand post.
Darryl Knights, a scorer aaginst Stafford earlier in the season for Cambridge United, gave Harriers the lead in the 14th minute. He send a low drive straight into the bottm-left corner of the net past the diving Alcock.
The home side doubled their advantage in the 21st minute. Barnes-Homer crossed from the left and Iyseden Christie ran in to head home at close range.
Rangers got forward deep into Harriers territory. Kevin Street set up Ross Draper who drove straight at Chris MacKenzie from the edge of the area.
Knights turned provider in the 25th minute as Harriers added their third goal. Russell finished off the move with a low shot from inside the area.
Barnes-Homer sent a dipping volley just over the bar before Kidderminster were awarded a penalty in the 35th minute. Barnes-Homer was brought down by Alcock and got up to send the Rangers keeper the wrong way from the spot. Alcock was soon called upon to bravely dive at the feet of Christie who got clear into the area after latching on to a slightly-overhit throughball.
Rangers rallied before the interval. Flynn crossed from the left and found Liam Hughes who turned inside the area and saw his shot blocked by Mark Creighton. In the 42nd minute, Wayne Daniel played a free-kick forward from halfway into the home area. The ball wasn't cleared and Djoumin Sangare fired wide.
Four minutes after the restart, Stafford were awarded a free-kick out on the right. Jarrett tried to catch MacKenzie off guard with a dipping shot which just cleared the bar. Harriers quickly got forward and Russell curled a right-foot shot, which swung in towards goal, just wide of the right-hand post. Chances were continued to be created and MacKenzie gathered up a low effort from Street. Hughes sent a powerful volley straight at the keeper, a good strike that deserved a goal.
Knights (for a foul) and Jarrett (for what appeared to be dissent) were both booked in the 53rd minute.
Christie scored his second goal of the game three minutes later as Harriers further extended their advantage. He tapped in at close range after Knights slipped the ball past Alcock.
Ishmale Reid replaced Flynn in the 64th minute and quickly thumped a low 35-yard free-kick straight at MacKenzie who did well not to spill the ball.
Richie Sutton was booked in the 69th minute for dissent before trying his luck from well outside the area. His well-struck shot diddn't miss the left-hand post by much. Sangare became the third Rangers player to see 'yellow', for not retreating 10 yards.
Alcock was unlucky to concede a sixth goal in the 90th minute. Russell's shot from inside the area took a couple of delections on its way into the net. Before play resumed, both sides amde a change with Courtney Shaw replacing Hughes. Christie hit the bar in stoppage time.
Kidderminster Harriers (red/white/red): MacKenzie, Kenna, Creighton, Jones, Jeannin, Russell, Penn, Bennett, Knights, Christie, Barnes-Homer. Subs: McGrath (for Knights, 77), Smikle (for Penn, 85), Harkness (for Jeannin, 90), Bignot, Coleman
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): Alcock, Sangare, Daniel, Sutton, Gibson, Street, Draper, Flynn, Jarrett, Grayson, Hughes. Subs: Reid (for Flynn, 64), Shaw (for Hughes, 90), Arnolin, Meakin-Richards, Allen
Referee: SD Tomlinson (Hampshire).
