Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Harriers 6 Rangers 0
Wednesday 5th March 2008, 8:15AM GMT.
Even Steve Bull in his prime as a player would struggle to save Stafford on this performance.
As a manager, he was forced to watch on helplessly as Kidderminster ruthlessly exploited his side at a freezing Aggborough last night.
Harriers had gone seven games without a win until the arrival of Rangers, but the hosts simply overwhelmed Bull’s side from the first whistle in a sobering display from the sorry visitors.
And while this performance has perhaps come too late to secure a play-off place, Kidderminster looked a class above woeful opposition who now look doomed.
Almost 2,000 turned up to welcome his first home game on Saturday, but this was another chastening experience for Bull the manager.
On a night when his beloved Wolves were in action 15 miles up the road and Champions League provided a further distraction on TV, just 85 travelling fans made the journey down the A449.
The missing hundreds accounted for Harriers’ lowest home league crowd of the season, and they missed the biggest margin in the Blue Square Premier this term, ironically equalled by Forest Green’s thumping of Weymouth.
The majority at least had plenty to cheer, and after Simon Russell and Matthew Barnes-Homer had driven wide from good openings, Harriers took the lead on 14 minutes with the first of three goals in 11 minutes.
The lively Darryl Knights took advantage of the space that opened up in front of him to lash home a low shot from 30 yards that keeper Danny Adcock seemed slow to get down to.
Iyseden Chrstie made it 2-0 with a driving header from Barnes-Homer’s superb cross on 21, and it was three four minutes later when Russell kept his cool to slot past Adcock after Knights chased down a long ball and cleverly squared inside.
Knights, on loan from Yeovil, had a lobbed effort disallowed on 28 after the referee ruled Christie had fouled Adcock.
But they didn’t have long to wait for another goal, and, after Barnes-Homer twice went close, the former Wolves scholar obliged from the spot on 36, sending Adcock the wrong way after the keeper had ben lucky to stay on the pitch for bringing down Christie.
Stafford’s only half chance arrived with a blocked effort from on-loan Wolves striker Liam Hughes, who at least looked like he possessed a bit of quality.
Bull’s first signing forced the only serious save from Chris Mackenzie on 52 with a smart turn and left foot shot.
But Harriers made it 5-0 five minutes later when the unmarked Christie tapped home on the line after Knights slid in to win the ball and raced goalwards before unselfishly squaring.
Kidderminster continued to look the more dangerous side and Barnes-Homer was inches away with two more efforts before Christie hit the bar.
Stafford’s night of misery was made worse when Hughes limped off looking groggy following an aerial challenge.
And it was compounded when Kidderminster scored a sixth goal in the 90th minute when Russell’s shot was deflected past Adcock.
Teams: Harriers (4-3-3): Mackenzie; Kenna, Crieghton, Jones, Jeannin (Harkness 90); Bennett, Penn (Smikle 85), Russell; Knights (McGrath 78), Christie, Barnes-Homer.
Subs not used: Coleman, Bignot.
Stafford (4-4-2): Alcock; Gibson, Sangare, Daniel, Sutton; Jarrett, Street, Draper, Flynn (Reid 64); Grayson, Hughes (Shaw 90).
Subs not used: Arnolin, Allen, Meakin-Richards.
Referee: S Tomlinson (Hants).
Attendance: 1,240.
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give him the wolves job NOW!!!!!!!
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