Harriers stretched their winning run at home to three games with a fairly comfortable win against struggling Conference new-boys Droylsden who have now lost eight matches in a row.

Mark Yates made just one change from the side that lost the nine-goal thriller at Ebbsfleet at the weekend, skipper Stuart Whitehead returning to the defence after missing the last two games through injury.  Simon Russell was included on the bench for the first time this season.

Harriers should have taken the lead in the very first minute; Justin Richards found Michael Blackwood on the left wing whose cross then picked out Richards who had carried on his run into the penalty area but he could not direct his header and Paul Phillips in the Droylsden goal was able to gather it in comfortably.  It was all Harriers in the first half but they could not break down the massed Droylsden defence, creating lots of openings but not converting them into shots and headers at goal.

Midway through the half Jonny Harkness tried his luck from long range but his powerful shot hit Ged Murphy and rebounded clear before it could trouble the keeper.  At the other end Jody Banim almost shocked the Harriers after being allowed an unchallenged run through the inside-left channel but his shot crashed against the far post with Dean Coleman well beaten.

Harriers finally broke the deadlock after 33 minutes; Blackwood played the ball in low from the left wing to Richards who delayed too long in getting a shot in and Gareth Morris was able to tackle him, the ball ran free to Harkness, however, who struck a superb curling shot into the top corner of the net.  The home team were made to pay for not capitalising on their possession shortly before the interval; Chris Denham was allowed to run through the heart of the Harriers defence, his shot cannoned  back off Coleman's right-hand post but Banim was quickest to react and lash the ball into the back of the net.

After the break Harriers wasted little time in restoring their lead.  Just four minutes had passed when Jeff Kenna's free-kick from deep in his own half was headed on by Richards to James Constable who volleyed it past Phillips on the turn.  Five minutes later the position was far more comfortable for the home side, Harkness' corner from the right was swept in by Mark Creighton to make it 3-1.

On the hour most people in the stadium thought that Harriers had scored a fourth goal; a cross from the left was met by a vicious Dean Bennett volley that flew narrowly wide and rippled the back of the net from the outside, fooling even the scoreboard operator into thinking it had gone in.  Constable went close moments later; jinking his way though The Bloods' defence only to see his shot saved by Phillips low to his left.

Droylsden didn't let their heads drop completely and were trying to get back into the game; Denham got away on the right, beating the offside trap, and found Banim with his cross but he volleyed his shot wide of the far post.  A free-kick pumped into the Harriers penalty area was headed just wide of the post by Steve Halford in the six-yard box with Coleman rooted to his line.  Coleman made amends shortly afterwards, though, with a good reaction save to push away Banim's shot for a corner after he had been set up by Denham.

In the closing minutes substitute Matt Barnes-Homer created a great chance for Richards but he mis-controlled the ball in the middle of the penalty area and Droylsden were able to clear.  In the last minute Richards almost added a fourth, however; receiving a crossfield pass from Harkness he bamboozled his marker with a Cristiano Ronaldo-like step-over before blasting a shot towards the top corner that Phillips did well to push away.  In stoppage time the game was marred for Harriers when Gavin Hurren was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Murphy.