HULL 4 HARRIERS 1

IT was a shame Kidderminster Harriers' largely impressive away form in Division Three had to end on such a sour note at Hull on Saturday.

Harriers' displays on their travels had provided a firm base for a long-running play-off challenge that finally ended in Yorkshire.

Their band of loyal visiting supporters will be able to look back fondly on wins at Southend, Bristol Rovers, Shrewsbury, Swansea, Wrexham, Exeter, Cambridge and Rochdale, as well as quite a few useful draws.

But the weekend trip to Hull won't be bringing back any endearing memories, more a reminder of why Harriers' bid for the top seven hit such rocky ground.

Defensive errors again wrecked Harriers' game plan and ensured their tidy spells of good passing football were worthless.

Boss Ian Britton is running out of ways to describe just how this particular part of their game is letting them down so much.

Harriers have rapidly run out of steam this season with just one win from 10 games and Britton knows he has a big summer task ahead if he is to turn his team into a defensive mean machine.

Saturday's final away game brought a visit to Hull's impressive 25,000-capacity KC Stadium though it was not surprisingly lacking in atmosphere for an end-of-season match.

Harriers still had faint hopes of making the play-offs before kick-off but the chances grew even more remote after six minutes.

Carl Regan discovered a frightening amount of space on the right flank from former Walsall man Dean Keates' long pass and his run was ended by Scott Stamps' lunging challenge.

Kent referee Phil Crossley pointed to the spot and Hull's £100,000 signing Ben Burgess grabbed his first goal for the club with a calm penalty.

It was to be a good day for Burgess who went on to claim a hat-trick, partly repaying Peter Taylor's faith in him.

Taylor, the former England caretaker boss, took the place of ex-Harriers man Jan Molby last year, soon after Hull had lost 1-0 at Aggborough.

Harriers did not lie down with Dion Scott heading high over the bar from a Sean Flynn corner when he should have done better.

Flynn and Sam Shilton then opened up the defence but for once top scorer Bo Henriksen's first touch let him down.

Shilton was involved again with a low left-wing cross on 16 minutes which Drewe Broughton slid just wide of the target.

But Hull were also dangerous as Northern Ireland international Stuart Elliott twice fired off target and an unmarked Burgess headed wide from Keate's free-kick.

The visitors continued to search for an equaliser and keeper Alan Fettis did well to tip over Shilton's 20-yarder on 35 minutes.

Seconds later, Henriksen, who reportedly could be a target of Hull's in the summer, headed the ball into the net but was ruled offside from Craig Hinton's cross.

But just as it all looked promising, Harriers defender Scott failed to clear and Burgess poached a determined close-range finish on 38 minutes.

Keeper Stuart Brock denied Hull a third by tipping Walters' low shot around the post five minutes before half-time.

Britton brought Hugh McAuley on at half-time with Danny Williams moved back into defence and both players looked comfortable on the ball.

Henriksen had another header ruled out for a foul on the keeper before Harriers struck back with a well-taken consolation from midfielder Sean Parrish on the hour.

Henriksen's left-wing cross was only half-cleared by the first of Fettis under pressure from Drewe Broughton and Parrish volleyed home a fifth goal of the season from just inside the box.

Harriers' scorer fired a useful chance into the side netting on 72 minutes but only the head of Williams on the goal-line denied Elliott at the other end.

And it was all over for the visitors 10 minutes from time when Hinton let in Walters on the left with the on-loan forward running on to beat the advancing Brock from an angle.

Harriers conceded four goals for the first time in a league match when an unmarked Burgess completed his hat-trick with a glancing header over a stranded keeper.

It was an amazing end to a second half that Harriers had been allowed to largely dominate but their mistakes were all too familiar.

HULL: Fettis; Otsemobor, Joseph (Burton 64), Whittle, Delaney; Regan, Keates, Melton, Elliott (Webb 87); Burgess, Walters (Russell 83). Subs not used: Musselwhite, Reeves.

HARRIERS: Brock 6; Hinton 5, Scott 5 (McAuley 46, 6), Stamps 5; Bennett 5, Flynn 6, WILLIAMS 7, Parrish 6 (Bishop 78), Shilton 6 (Foster 78); Broughton 5, Henriksen 6. Subs not used: Danby, Ayres.

ATTENDANCE: 14,544.

SHOTS ON: Hull 6, Harriers 2.

SHOTS OFF: Hull 7, Harriers 9.

CORNERS: Hull 4, Harriers 7.

GOALS: Burgess 6, 38, 88, Parrish 60, Walters 80.

YELLOW CARDS: Hull 1 (Regan), Harriers 1 (Hinton).

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: Danny Williams. Continues to dominate the star man awards after giving an assured second-half display in defence where he used to play while in Liverpool's youth team.