Two goals from Elton Ngwatala helped Harriers to a 4-0 win over Nuneaton – their ninth straight home win in all competitions.

Boss John Eustace was forced into one change to his starting line-up after it had been confirmed Zaine Francis-Angol had picked up a knock in training this week – Josh Ezewele took his place at full-back.

On the bench there was a place for fit-again Ash Carter in the week Jared Hodgkiss moved to Torquay United on loan.

Despite their midweek defeat at Salford City, Nuneaton came into the game highly-rated after some superb recent form, and it was they who had the first sniff of goal through Nicholson as he shot at Alex Palmer, who was able to watch the ball wide.

In the end that would be the closest they’d come to a goal for some time – in the interim Harriers struck the woodwork on more than one occasion, Knights the first to do so as he pinged a shot off the foot of the post.

With a quarter of an hour on the clock, Andre Brown drew a low save from goalkeeper Christian Dibble, who he’d eventually have beaten on 35 minutes as he made room for a shot inside the area at the corner, the ball sailing into the top corner.

Three minutes later, McQuilkin clipped the bar with an effort of his own, before Nicholson ensured the visitors stayed very much in the game with a great first-time shot that Palmer parried away to ensure his team took an advantage to the break.

Dibble’s frame was rattling again five minutes after the restart after he’d been well beaten by an Ngwatala drive, before the Frenchman really stole the show with the team’s second on 75 minutes – picking the ball up ten yards inside his own half before sidestepping challenges and being a finish well beyond the goalkeeper’s palm and into the net.

Despite the hosts’ control, Nuneaton should have set up a grandstand finish with ten minutes to go, only for Nicholson to pull an effort wide of Palmer’s goal.

Up at the other end, though, the striker’s teammates dwelt far too long on the ball before being dispossessed by Croasdale; the Harriers man showed strength to hold off his man before finishing with class for just his second goal of the season.

That still wouldn’t be all -there was time for Ngwatala to grab a second and for Harriers to have a fourth, substitute Mani Dieseruvwe’s header hitting the woodwork for the third time on the day, the midfielder on hand to ensure he could nod in from just a yard out.

HARRIERS: Palmer, Williams, Ezewele (Carter 76), Lowe, Tunnicliffe, Croasdale, McQuilkin, Ngwatala, Brown (Dieseruvwe 71), Gnahoua (Waite 67), Knights.

Subs not used: Truslove, Austin.

Attendance: 1,764 Attendance: Simon Mather