Two goals in quick succession at the start of the second half saw Harriers soundly beaten 3-0 at Dartford in the Skrill Premier on Saturday.

Injury forced boss Steve Burr to make two changes to the side that had performed so impressively against Tamworth the previous time out; dominant defender Chey Dunkey missing out with a knee problem and replaced in the starting eleven by the returning Josh Gowling.

Captain Kyle Storer had limped out of the Tamworth fixture with a groin strain in the second half and was unable to shake off he knock in time, replaced in the side by midfielder Jack Byrne who returned to the scene of his devastating injury around 12 months ago.

The visiting side might well have been reduced to ten men with 12 minutes on the clock; reacting to a nibble of a challenge on him by Dartford's Lee Noble by reacting with a foul of his own. The Dartford players surrounded the referee en masse but the full-back escaped with a yellow.

It was Dartford who created the first chance of the game as they broke away quickly up field, Elliot Bradbrook slipping in Jason Prior on the edge of the area, the end product the only downfall as the ball was sent flying wide of the near post.

The visitors then had two good chances to take the lead; with 19 minutes played striker Michael Gash saw his effort clawed off the line by a scrambling defender, while eleven minutes later a neat corner-kick move saw James Dance sweep the ball to an unmarked Anthony Malbon who saw his shot kept out well by goalkeeper Alan Julian.

Harriers would then be made to pay for missing those openings as, ten minutes before the break, Dartford broke the deadlock by pouncing on hesitancy in the Aggborough men's defence, Prior with the final touch to deflect the ball past Nathan Vaughan.

Even before the break however there were opportunities for the visitors to equalise - with five minutes left of the first period, Gash powered a header over from Vaughan's driven far-post cross while Byrne also saw a shot saved.

Harriers began the second half well with Lee Fowler curling an effort over the bar just after the re-start but just six minutes in it was the hosts who were celebrating a second goal - Elliott Bradbrook finishing coolly from a corner kick after the ball fell to him just outside the six-yard area.

That goal seemed to knock a lot of the stuffing out of Harriers and though made a double change from the bench, he was powerless to watch on as his side conceded a third as Ryan Harris slotted the ball into the bottom corner after getting between Jamie Grimes and keeper Vaughan.

Malbon and Gash both saw efforts well kept out by the home side as Harriers continued to search for a way on to the score board, Mickey Demetriou also having a late effort go wide of the woodwork.

Harriers: N Vaughan, L Vaughan, Demetriou, Grimes, Gowling (c), Byrne (Jackman 55), Fowler, Gittings (Johnson 55), Dance (Lolley 69), Malbon, Gash. Subs not used: Lewis, Blissett,

Dartford: Julian, Burns, Collier, Clarke, Fry, Hayes (Ibemere 85), Woodyard, Bradbrook (c), Noble (Sterling 79), Prior (Birchall 71), Harris. Subs not used: Hill, Cornhill.

Referee: Justin Amey

Attendance: 1,020