Kidderminster Harriers

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Brian Smikle

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Kidderminster 3-0 Histon

Kidderminster Harriers moved closer to the play-off chasers with a comfortable 3-0 win over Histon at Aggborough on Saturday.

Brian Smikle fired the hosts in front before second-half strikes from John Finnigan and Darryl Knights made sure of the spoils.

Steve Burr's men made their intentions clear from the onset when Lee Baker paced down the left flank before Smikle deflected the ball past Histon goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt in the fourth minute.

The early opener motivated the home side to pour forward and Smikle could have scored his fourth goal in three games had he not fluffed a close-range shot after meeting Duane Courtney's cross from the right on the 11-minute mark.

The Stutes tried to force their way into the game, but Ross Atkins saved comfortably from Nathaniel Knight-Percival's header off a Gareth Gwillim free-kick.

But Harriers could have again found themselves on the scoresheet again had the assistant referee not wrongly flagged Smikle offside, after he buried a pass from Robbie Matthews.

Most of the pressure in the first half continued to come from Kidderminster, although Danny Wright could have levelled matters with a diving header, but he missed Erkan Okay's cross.

After the break, Harriers continued to test Naisbitt and were duly rewarded. Player and assistant coach Finnigan smacked home a superb volley in the 56th minute from Chris McPhee's lofted cross.

Finnigan then outfoxed two defenders before setting up Knights on the right, who struck a robust shot into the back of the net, giving Naisbitt no chance.

On-loan Port Vale ace James Lawrie nearly netted another in the 80th minute, but by then, Harriers already had maximum points in the bag.

Kidderminster are now ninth in the standings, while Histon are 15th.

Kidderminster bookings: None

Histon bookings: Tann, Okay

Ref: Matthew Bristow

Att: 1,293