Saturday September 27, 2003; League Division Three

Hull City 6 Kidderminster Harriers 1

Hull: P.Musselwhite, R.Hinds, J.Whittle, D.Delaney, A.Dawson, J.Price (R.France 79), S.Green, D.Keates, S.Elliott (A.Holt 71), D.Allsopp (J.Forrester 82), B.Burgess.

Kidderminster: S.Brock, A.Smith, A.Willis, C.Hinton, S.Stamps, D.Bennett, R.Betts (B.Henriksen 69), D.Williams, L.Dyer, G.Ward, J.Williams.

Hull City had lost only one of their first nine league games and were sitting pretty in second place in Division Three. Kidderminster, on the other hand, had taken only two points from seven games after winning their opening two fixtures and were nervously perched above the relegation places. The Tigers, and the big home support, were expecting a victory.

The first hint of danger on this lovely, sunny afternoon came from the visitors as a cross was only half cleared into the path of Robert Betts but his effort from the edge of the box was wild and never looked like threatening Paul Musselwhite in the Hull goal.

After five minutes Hull came forward to win a corner from which they eventually took the lead. The original centre was cleared but as Kidderminster looked to break Dean Keates went in hard to win possession back for Hull who attacked again down the right hand side of the box.

Justin Whittle worked space neatly with Jason Price before sending in a perfect low centre that presented Ben Burgess with a gaping goal at the far post. The burly centre forward scuffed a horrible shot back across goal which plugged into the stomach of goalkeeper Stuart Brock but the surprised custodian could only carry the ball over the line with him as he stumbled backwards.

Burgess accepted the congratulations of his teammates in a suitably sheepish manner.

This early goal must have knocked Kidderminster's fragile confidence even further but, to their credit, they began to take a grip of the game in midfield where their neat passing movements made Hull's long ball game look more than a little crude.

Despite this, however, there was no escaping the fact that there was no hint of an end product to the visitors' approach play while Hull, noticably bigger all over the field, might be expected to profit from their route one approach.

Lloyd Dyer, on loan at Kidderminster from West Brom, sent in one testing centre but Musselwhite was out in confident fashion to claim and when the speedy winger won his side a corner the Hull keeper again came out to deal with the cross with the minimum of fuss.

Danny Williams, Betts and Dean Bennett were all looking neat and tidy as Kidderminster continued to control possession but they were completely unable to link up to any effect with their forwards, the towering veteran John Williams and the basically anonymous Graham Ward.

On twenty minutes, however, the visitors did draw level when the killer ball was provided for them by their hosts.

Another good spell of keep ball by Kidderminster ended when Dyer played an aimless square ball that was intercepted by Danny Allsop, running back towards his own goalmouth. Allsop's run took him into the path of centre half Damien Delaney who decided to take matters into his own hands but his attempted clearance slammed straight into Allsop's shins and rebounded into the path of Williams, loitering by himself on the edge of the Hull box.

Without hesitation Williams drilled his finish into the bottom corner and Kidderminster were back on terms.

This goal failed to provoke any real response from Hull who continued hoofing balls towards Allsopp and Burgess while the Harriers continued to pass their way through midfield without really suggesting they might fashion a chance for themselves.

Musselwhite had to be sharp to make sure that Ward didn't reach a through ball from Dyer while it took some desperate defending at the other end to stop Allsopp charging onto a flick from Burgess.

Finally Kidderminster's neat passing resulted in an actual chance. Bennett drifted inside from the right flank before feeding Dyer on the left with a nice pass. When Dyer then pinged his centre towards the penalty spot Bennett had made a dart into the box but could only direct his free header a yard wide of the far post.

This would be the best chance Kidderminster would have to take the lead.

The Kidderminster defence was struggling under an obvious height disadvantage and Hull finally managed to put them under some serious pressure through a series of set pieces with half time approaching.

A free kick from the dead ball line found Price at the far post but his close range header was parried to safety by Brock. The visitors were unable to properly relieve the pressure, however, and found themselves defending a succession of crossed balls. Eventually a telling ball from the left back Andy Dawson dropped perfectly for Allsopp who accepted the invitation to volley into the bottom corner.

Kidderminster were offered the chance to respond before half time from a free kick some thirty yards from goal but Danny Williams' effort was weak and although it somehow squeezed through the wall it was always drifting harmlessly wide of the target.

Despite having done little to get anyone excited Hull had reached half time ahead and would be looking to improve after the break.

Half Time: Hull City 2 Kidderminster Harriers 1

The second half began in the same fashion as much of the first with Kidderminster playing the more pleasing football but struggling to make any impression in the final third. Hull remained direct in their approach but, playing with greater urgency, immediately looked more of a threat.

Allsopp had the ball in the net when he poked the ball in off a post following a spot of wrestling with Craig Hinton but the referee adjudged in Kidderminster's favour and the visitors remained in contention.

Moments later Allsopp was charging through again after another punt forward and the visitors were only just able to mop up the danger.

Adie Smith drilled a dangerous diagonal ball into the box from right back which had his full back partner Scott Stamps interested but Price was able to stretch out a foot and deflect the ball away for a corner.

This set piece, just like all Kidderminster's others, was easily dealt with and it was becoming harder to see a way back into the game for the visitors.

With the hour mark approaching the issue was basically settled as Hull struck again after a spell of concerted pressure.

The Kidderminster defence was at full stretch to deny Burgess and Price but when a centre was cleared as far as Dawson the full back took a touch on his chest before spanking the sweetest of half volleys back across goal into the top corner from beyond the left hand angle of the penalty area.

This goal put paid to any semblance of a Kidderminster challenge and as the visitors proceeded to give up the ghost the home side took full advantage to completely dominate the final half hour.

The visitors won a corner but again this was easily cleared and suddenly Stuart Green was running forward one on one with the last Kidderminster defender. Green made it all the way into the Harriers box but then sent a weak low shot at Brock with Allsopp busting a gut to get up in support.

A spate of subtitutions saw Ryan France, a recent signing from Alfreton Town, coming on for his debut on the right hand side and he quickly sent in a teasing centre that was well claimed by Brock.

By now it was all Hull. Burgess was stronger in a challenge with Hinton but then shot wildly from twenty yards before Allsopp headed narrowly wide from another France centre.

With the Kidderminster defence now under siege Hinton unnecessarily conceded a corner after Brock had parried a centre from Andy Holt and when the corner was dropped into the near post Burgess was able to take neat touches on chest and thigh before sending an overhead kick beyond the startled Brock into the roof of the net.

Four one became five one in Hull's next attack when another spate of centres into the Kidderminster goalmouth finally brought a dividend with France striding forward to slot a crisp half volley past Brock from a Holt centre.

Hinton, who had stood up manfully to the second half onslaught, denied Burgess his hat trick with a last ditch headed clearance and the centre forward then spurned a decent opportunity by heading over the angle at the near post following a free kick.

With the three minutes of injury time all but over the referee then gave Hull one last scoring chance with a ridiculously harsh handball decision against Danny Williams right on the edge of the box.

The situation looked perfect for Dawson's left foot but instead Green stepped forward to whip a sweet right footed shot across the face of the wall and into the top corner with Brock rooted to the spot.

Seconds later the final whistle put Kidderminster out of their misery and confirmed Hull's comprehensive victory.

Special mention must be made of the Kidderminster substitute Bo Henriksen who entered the fray in the 69th minute and, if he touched the ball at all, did so without anybody noticing.

Full Time: Hull City 6 Kidderminster Harriers 1