TORQUAY 1, HARRIERS 2

THE home nightmare continued for Kidderminster Harriers but boss Jan Molby was rightly gracious in defeat.

Slick visitors Torquay deserved Saturday's three points and Harriers could well learn a few lessons from a side who operate on much the same budget.

The Gulls have emerged from several flirtations with Conference relegation to challenge for the play-offs over the last couple of seasons under Leroy Rosenior.

A spirited hard-working team, they overcame recent defensive jitters to produce a solid display at the weekend and attacked with purpose.

As the previous defeat against Doncaster showed, Harriers have a fair way to go if they are to seriously challenge the better Division Three sides.

But just picking up any kind of league win at home is more of a priority for Molby who clearly feels he must add new players to ensure that happens.

Harriers rely on the attacking flair of John Williams, Dean Bennett and Bo Henriksen to break down teams at home.

If, like on Saturday, those players do not produce the goods, then the team are fighting a losing battle.

The home side at least showed character to conjure an equaliser after Torquay took a seventh-minute lead with a first Football League goal at Aggborough.

Kevin Hill's flick-on left makeshift forward Kevin Wills with far too much space and time to pick his spot in Stuart Brock's net from 15 yards.

But Harriers, who had started reasonably brightly, threw men forward with Bennett's cross-shot tipped over by keeper Arjan van Heusden and Wayne Hatswell heading a Steve Burton corner over.

Henriksen's low shot was saved by van Heusden but the Torquay shot-stopper stood no chance with Danny Williams' equaliser on 12 minutes.

Bennett fed Andy White who ended a tremendous right-wing run with a perfect ball for D Williams to pass into the net from the edge of the box.

But that goal just about capped Harriers' attacking performance as they struggled to move out of first gear for the rest of the game.

Molby was so concerned with their defending that on 34 minutes he hauled off defender Adie Smith and brought on Matt Gadsby who hardly fared any better.

The visitors switched from a 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 formation and looked far stronger defensively as a result.

Torquay took the lead again on 58 minutes with a tremendous piece of skill from star striker David Graham and another deadly Wills finish past Brock, only in the team after shaking off a bout of flu.

Graham flicked the ball away from Hatswell on the halfway line and strode forward before picking out more good movement from Wills who turned to sweep home first time.

There was little response from Harriers except for Hatswell's bullet header from a D Williams nod-on which van Heusden pushed over on 79 minutes.

So Harriers suffered a sixth home league defeat, and their first against Torquay, which will turn the heat up for Saturday's visit to fellow strugglers Boston.

HARRIERS: Brock 6; Hinton 6, Smith 4 (Gadsby 34, 5), Hatswell 6, BURTON 7; D Williams 7, Parrish 5; Bennett 5; J Williams 5 (Betts 57, 5), White 7 (Lewis 81), Henriksen 5. Subs not used: Danby, Ayres.

TORQUAY: van Heusden; Hazell, Woods, Taylor; Canoville (Bedeau 64), Hockley, Russell, Hill, McGlinchey; Wills, Graham (Benefield 90). Subs not used: Dearden, Bernard, Broad.

ATTENDANCE: 2,725.

SHOTS ON: Harriers 3, Torquay 5.

SHOTS OFF: Harriers 7, Torquay 2.

CORNERS: Harriers 10, Torquay 4.

GOALS: Wills 7, D Williams 12, Wills 58.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 1 (White), Torquay 1 (Wills).

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: Steve Burton. The Hull player looks a good prospect at left-back and has signed for Harriers on a second month's loan. Very comfortable on the ball and attacked well on Saturday.