STRONG IN DEFEAT: Goalkeeper Scott Bevan was one of very few Harriers' players to impress this afternoon.

HARRIERS put in a very poor home performance against Exeter City this afternoon and fell six points behind the Conference play-off places thanks to a 2-0 defeat.

Match Summary
It really was an awful day at the office for Harriers. The side haven't lost two games on the bounce since early October 2006 - arguably they couldn't have picked a worse time to put in such a lifeless performance that saw them lose more ground on the chasing pack at Aggborough today.

Make no mistake, however, regardless of Harriers' offerings - or lack of them - and any extra-curricular activity this afternoon, Exeter thoroughly deserved the three points that they got thanks to goals from Jon Challinor and Lee Elam.

What can only be described, at it's very best as a scattered performance from match referee Amy Rayner didn't help matters either, with a poorly-tempered game being allowed to roam out of control almost from the start.

Tuesday night's game at home to Dagenham and Redbridge probably becomes as close to a 'must-win' game for Harriers as you could ever get, being cut nine-points adrift from the top five with defeat against the Daggers would surely be something of a deep, if not fatal wound to what was up until this afternoon a thriving run.

Few will deny that Harriers were harshly done by to lose at Forest Green last weekend, but sadly not many can argue that justice was done in terms of a result today, as the Grecians finally got the better of Mark Yates' men at the third time of asking.

Match Report
City in truth dominated proceedings for at least the majority of this game with only one memorable chance to remember for the home side. With three minutes on the clock, Challinor thought he'd opened the lead with a fine volley but Bevan denied him with a fine save.

Paul Jones' almost gifted Harriers the lead ten minutes later as Blackwood lashed a long-range, low shot towards his goal that was spilled outwards by the shot-stopper, luckily for him to one of his own defenders.

Bevan was forced to be at his best again on 18 minutes as Jamie Mackie was given free reign to charge down the Harriers goal, the shot-stopper got his timing perfect however to go to ground and clear the danger.

How Harriers didn't take the lead ten minutes further on is a mystery - Russ Penn set Simon Russell free with the midfielder shipping the ball into James Constable in front of goal, the former Walsall man had four bites of the cherry in front of Jones, two were blocked whilst two were mis-hit, you sensed Harriers would find it hard to make the breakthrough at this point.

Two minutes before the break Challinor and Wayne Carlisle both had shots blocked by defenders, but City's build up was so clock in first-half stoppage time that Matt Gill had all the time in the world to tee up his shot on the edge of the area - luckily for Harriers, though, he could only fire over.

With the second period not even ten minutes old City found the breakthrough, Elam thought he'd hammered the ball across the line after he'd forced Bevan to tip the ball onto the cross bar, but there was nothing given - Harriers didn't stay alert enough, though, and CHALLINOR was on hand to bundle the rebound home.

Just after the hour mark substitute Gary Hay volleyed over as Jonny Harkness had his free-kick flicked on, before Steve Tully again made the crossbar shake as he thundered a 30-yard effort off the upright.

Along with Hay, Harriers also brought on Luke Reynolds and Brian Smikle on to try and boost their attacking prowess, it showed no signs of doing the trick though as City continued to press forward at every chance, with the hosts also being very wasteful with possession they had inside the Exeter half.

It wasn't the best day for the Harriers' back-line, summed up two minutes from time as ELAM doubled City's advantage, after the ball came to him from the wing he was given enough free time to turn fully 360 degrees on it to get it onto his better foot - then slamming past Bevan at close range.

In front of another big crowd at Aggborough, so much had been expected of the hosts before this game, one can only assume the expectations will be double come Tuesday night when the mere prospect of an evening's entertainment with Dagenham and Redbridge is on the agenda.

Harriers: Bevan, Kenna, Creighton, Whitehead, Harkness, Russell (Smikle 76), Penn, Hurren, Blackwood, White (Hay 58), Constable (Reynolds 89).
Subs Not Used: Sedgemore, Taylor.

Exeter: Paul Jones, Tully, Edwards, Todd, Billy Jones, Elam, Buckle, Gill, Carlisle, Challinor, Mackie.
Subs Not Used: Rice, Stansfield, Cozic, Richardson, Logan.

Attendance: 2,033 (360 away fans)

Referee: A Rayner (Leicestershire).