THIS was an unfortunate way to mark Kidderminster Harriers' last home game of their maiden Division Three season.

After two good wins over Plymouth and Cheltenham, the clash with Hartlepool United proved a non-event for the home side.

They could not even capitalise on a long-awaited first penalty of the campaign in a flat end-of-season display.

But for visitors Hartlepool, it was a deserved three points which guaranteed them a place in the play-offs for the second successive season.

It is not hard to see why the men from the north-east have done well - they are a hard-working side with little in the way of glaring weaknesses.

Harriers were often out-fought in midfield, had a lack of meaningful efforts on goal and only their defence impressed until a glaring error a minute from the end of normal time.

Paul Stephenson's centrally-positioned free-kick should not have been a problem but dozing Harriers were caught ball-watching.

Substitute James Sharp, a defender, nipped in unmarked and flicked the ball past a hesitant Tim Clarke.

Harriers have consistently been punished from corners and free-kicks this season. Reducing this problem could make all the difference but that is easier said than done.

In fairness to Clarke, he had kept Harriers in the contest with a quite brilliant double save in the first half.

The match livened up considerably after a dreary, very quiet opening with neither side establishing much in the way of pattern.

Not surprisingly, the catalyst was that rare penalty, awarded after Mark Tinkler dispossessed striker Stewart Hadley only to use his arm in the process.

However, Broughton's strike - low down to Anthony Williams' right - was not hard enough and the agile keeper tipped the ball around the post.

To add insult to injury, Broughton was booked as he steamed into the box to attack the ball from the resulting corner.

Hartlepool, with clearly more desire for the points, wrestled control and should have been ahead by half-time.

First, an unmarked Tinkler failed to make amends for giving away the penalty when he headed Ian Clark's corner wide at the far post on 31 minutes.

Then Clarke was called into action four minutes later, tipping Tony Lormor's bouncing header onto the bar and then reacting swiftly to block Tommy Miller's well-struck follow-up.

With Craig Hinton continuing his fine partnership alongside Adie Smith in the centre of defence, there was always hope that Harriers would get away with a 0-0.

In fact, if Dean Bennett's low 20-yard drive had been a few inches to the right on 62 minutes, Hartlepool's play-off celebrations would have been on hold.

Then Tony Bird, on as sub, shot disappointingly wide on 78 minutes as Harriers again created a glimpse of goal with the help of Broughton's determined run down the left.

You could sense they might pay for it and Jan Molby's men did when Sharp claimed the last-gasp winner.

Broughton, apparently leading with his elbows, picked up a second yellow in injury-time to complete an afternoon to forget for Harriers' most recent signing.

Molby was not happy with the £50,000 capture but he has surely done enough to suggest he could fill the boots of an Aggborough legend in Paul "Ocker" Davies.

SHOTS ON TARGET

Harriers 1 Hartlepool 4

CORNERS

Harriers 1 Hartlepool 4

BOOKINGS

Harriers 1 (Hinton)

Hartlepool 1 (Tinkler)

RED CARDS

Harriers 1 (Broughton)

Hartlepool 0

ATTENDANCE: 3,748

LINE-UPS

HARRIERS (4-4-2): Clarke 7; Medou-Otye 7, Smith 7, Hinton 8, Stamps 6; Skovbjerg 6, MacKenzie 6, Bennett 6, Doyle 6; Broughton 6, Hadley 6. Subs: Brock, Webb, Bird (Skovbjerg 60) 6, Ducros, Corbett.

HARTLEPOOL (3-5-2): Williams 7; Lee 6, Barron 7, Westwood 7; Knowles 6, Miller 7, Stephenson 7, Tinkler 7, Clark 7; Lormor 7, Henderson 7. Subs: Hollund, Fitzpatrick, Easter, Midgley (Henderson 46) 6, Sharp (Lee 79) 7.

SHUTTLE STAR MAN

CRAIG HINTON

Showed why he dominated the player-of-the-season awards with a typically dependable display alongside the solid Adie Smith.