AS far as happy hunting grounds go, Kidderminster is traditionally about as cheerful for York City fans as the average African plain is to a herd of wildebeest.

Last night failed to lift the Aggborough anguish with a 2-0 defeat meaning the Minstermen have now taken only four points out of a possible 24 from their last eight visits, which have included a couple of 4-1 drubbings.

Second-half goals from Brian Smikle and Justin Richards sealed City’s fate on this occasion.

At the other end, the visitors, who fielded a 4-5-1 formation for the first hour, only forced Adam Bartlett into two saves and, despite some tidy spells of possession, lacked a penetrative pass and a cutting edge up front until the introduction of Onome Sodje.

With one victory from nine matches, Colin Walker’s men now face a tough challenge to get back to winning ways as Stevenage, Cambridge United and Wrexham await in the next three matches.

Kidderminster old boy Simon Russell had the first chance of the night, forcing a near-post save from Bartlett after Daniel McBreen’s neatly-threaded through ball.

On ten minutes, Richards missed an excellent opportunity for the home side, scuffing across the face of Michael Ingham’s goal after escaping Danny Parslow to race on to a Matthew Barnes-Homer pass.

City showed the value of placing a man on both posts at corner kicks when Luke Jones’ header from a Martin Brittain corner cannoned off Ben Wilkinson and struck Mark Robinson on the opposite upright.

Ingham then dived at Mark Creighton’s feet as the Kidderminster captain tried to force the loose ball over the line from three yards.

At the other end, Richard Brodie failed to control Russell’s right-wing cross to the far post, but managed to pull the ball back for loan signing Peter Holmes, who brushed the sidenetting from 12 yards.

The Minstermen survived another scare on 44 minutes when Barnes-Homer sprung the visitors’ offside trap and hooked the ball goalwards for Smikle to send a diving header wide with Ingham fully committed.

Holmes had another decent effort before the interval, displaying nimble footwork before driving wide from 25 yards.

Fellow midfielder Simon Rusk then fired wide from the edge of the box three minutes after the restart and Brodie sliced over from 12 yards before being replaced by Sodje.

The City substitute had not even touched the ball, however, when Kidderminster broke the deadlock on 63 minutes.

Former Newcastle midfielder Brittain delivered a dangerous right-wing cross with his less-favoured left foot to the near post, where an unchallenged Smikle headed in from four yards.

On 69 minutes, Sodje fired high into the sidenetting after a McBreen pass and then cut in from the left before forcing a fingertip stop from Bartlett – his second and final save of the night.

City had the ball in the net on 86 minutes, but McBreen was three yards offside when he tapped in Holmes’ wayward shot.

As City threw bodies forward, Barnes-Homer sidefooted wide with only Ingham to beat before Richards put the game beyond doubt in the third minute of stoppage time.

A one-two between substitute David McDermott and Barnes-Homer saw Kidderminster cut through a stretched City back line. McDermott’s low cross from the right was then sidefooted past a helplessly-exposed Ingham by Richards from six yards.

Match facts

Kidderminster 2 Smikle 63; Richards 90

York City 0

Player rating

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire

Michael Ingham 6
Ben Purkiss 6
Danny Parslow 7
David McGurk 6
Mark Robinson 5
Simon Rusk 5
Peter Holmes 6
Ben Wilkinson 5
Simon Russell 5
Richard Brodie 5
Daniel McBreen 6

Substitutions:
Onome Sodje (for Brodie, 63) 6
Craig Farrell (for Russell, 76)

Subs not used: Josh Mimms, Darren Kelly, Niall Henderson.

City’s star man: Parslow – showed a determination that deserved better than a 2-0 defeat.

Kidderminster: Adam Bartlett, Keith Lowe, Mark Creighton, Luke Jones, Lee Baker, Martin Brittain (David McDermott, 81), Andy Ferrell, Russell Penn, Brian Smikle, Justin Richards, Matthew Barnes-Homer
Subs not used: Darryl Knights, Dean Coleman, Sam Foley, Michael Bowler.

Yellow cards: Rusk 43, Farrell 85.

Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)
Rating: odd aberration, but generally okay.

Attendance: 1,481 (98 from City).

Cross of the match: Brittain’s expert delivery for Kidderminster’s first goal.

Tackle of the match: Parslow’s late block when last man as Richards bore down on goal.

Dribble of the match: Holmes’ neat sidestepping run on the stroke of half-time that ended with an off-target drive.

Shots on target: Harriers 5 York 2

Shots off target: Harriers 3 York 9

Corners: Harriers 3 York 4

Fouls conceded: Harriers 12 York 14

Offsides: Harriers 8 York 8

City player watch: Peter Holmes

Goal attempts on target: 0
Goal attempts off target: 2
Blocked goal attempts: 1
Passes to own player: 28
Passes to opposition: 15
Crosses to own player: 0
Crosses to opposition: 5
Pass completion rate: 58.3 per cent
Dribbles ball retained: 4
Dribbles ball lost: 2
Dribble completion rate: 66.7 per cent
Headers: 8 Tackles: 5
Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 2
Fouls won: 0 Fouls conceded: 2
Offsides: 0 Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: Peter Holmes was always a willing presence in the City midfield, as is illustrated by the number of passes he made. A significant number went stray though and none of his five crosses found a team-mate. The on-loan midfielder demonstrated he has the ability to beat a player on several occasions and was prepared to shoot when presented with an opportunity.

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