There was no sign of the Harriers team that had gone 13 games unbeaten as they crashed to their second consecutive defeat, second best all over the pitch to play-off chasing Exeter.

Jeff Kenna and Gavin Hurren returned to the team after injury but were unable to spark the side into life.  The work rate of the visitors ensured that Harriers were never able to get into their stride, closed down and harried all over the pitch they were soon on the back foot.

City came out of the blocks at high tempo and threw a series of attacks at Harriers.  Jon Challinor called Scott Bevan into early action with a long-range shot that had the keeper at full stretch to push away.  Bevan did well to deny Jon Mackie, also, when the striker brooke clear of the Harriers defence he stood up well before saving at his feet.

Apart from a weak shot from Michael Blackwood that was hit straight at keeper Paul Jones, Harriers took nearly half an hour to create a good opening.  Russ Penn's pass split The Grecians defence open for Simon Russell to run onto and his low cross found James Constable but he fluffed his shot and allowed the defence to get back and clear.  City almost made Harriers pay for the mistake, counterattacking straight away they won a free-kick on the left which was knocked into the penalty area and fell to Challinor who saw his close range shot tipped over the bar by Bevan.

The deadlock was broken eight minutes into the second half; Paul Buckle and Lee Elam combined on the right with the latter twisting his way into the penalty area, his shot hit the crossbar and fell to Challinor who was left with an easy tap in at the far post.  Ten minutes later Harriers could have been level; Gary Hay, making his debut as a sub in place of Andy White, was in the right place to pick up Stuart Whitehead's flick on of a Jonny Harkness free kick but his shot on the turn went over the bar.

James Constable should have done better when he slipped his marker only to head Harkness' right-wing corner wide of the near post with twenty minutes remaining, which turned out to be Harriers last real threat.  Bevan came to the rescue again shortly afterwards, tipping Steve Tully's long-range shot onto the bar.  The result was wrapped up two minutes from time; Mackie got to the byline on the right and pulled the ball back to Elam who comfortably tucked it past Bevan.

There was controversy after the final whistle when Harriers boss Mark Yates was involved in an altercation with Elam, presumably disappointed with the winger's antics of falling theatrically to the ground whenever he was challenged, a tactic that had resulted in a yellow card for Blackwood.