Harriers 1 Aldershot 4

A SHAMBOLIC first-half left boss Mark Yates' improved defensive record at Kidderminster Harriers in tatters.

Aldershot hit the back of the net four times in the opening 45 minutes to put Aggborough fans in the doldrums once again.

While Harriers have struggled to score goals lately, Yates had at least tightened up the defence since taking over from Stuart Watkiss.

But any hopes of adding to the four clean sheets obtained under his reign were blown away in the early stages by the visitors on Saturday.

Yates' men fell apart from the first whistle with John Danby pulling off a point-blank save to deny Nick Crittenden on three minutes.

Three minutes later, former Welsh international Darren Barnard curled a low free-kick around the Harriers wall and past Danby from 25 yards.

With Harriers still snoozing, wide-man Crittenden leapt above left-back Jonny Harkness to head in a second goal from Barnard's cross on 16 minutes.

And Harriers fans, rapidly becoming disenchanted by a dour season following relegation from the Football League, were to witness worse.

Ex-Bristol Rovers player Ryan Williams was left unmarked to turn home a Leroy Griffiths cross on 34 minutes.

Yates hauled off midfielder Michael Blackwood and replaced him with Michael McGrath, a signing from Redditch United.

McGrath made his debut along with ex-AFC Telford striker Luke Reynolds who played from the start and was one of the few bright points of the afternoon.

As half-time approached, Aldershot rubbed salt into Harriers' wounds with an awful goal to concede. Kirk Hudson got the better of veteran Daryl Burgess and poked the ball past the stranded Danby from 25 yards.

Yates sent his team back onto the pitch after just five minutes of the half-time interval with Harriers supporters rightly seething at the limp display.

It had to get better in the second period and Reynolds crowned an impressive debut by converting a Simon Russell cross on 53 minutes.

Second-half substitute Gavin Hurren, surprisingly dropped to the bench after impressing in recent games, headed against the bar and Reynolds went close again.

But the damage had already been done in a terrible first-half which will only add to the catalogue of nightmare memories held by the Harriers faithful over the last few seasons.

Manager Yates will need to make changes to avoid further embarrassment at local rivals Hereford United this Saturday.

HARRIERS: Danby, Mullins, Burgess, Osborne (Thompson 68), Harkness (Hurren 68), Russell, Wilson, Penn, Blackwood (McGrath 44), Reynolds, Sheldon. Subs not used: Fleming, Lewis.

ATTENDANCE: 1,630.