Harriers 2
Torquay 5
IT WAS a game that lived up to it's promise of a goal-feast, unfortunately for the despairing home fans it was the visitors who left Aggborough on a high on Saturday afternoon.

Before the game their had been buzz around Harriers' home that this clash between two of the Blue Square Premier Division's most attack-minded teams might yield a classic.

While it didn't quite reach that lofty status it will certainly be a match burned into the brains of the Harriers supporters for the wrong reasons.

What will certainly stick in the home fans' minds was another poor defensive performance from Harriers that allowed the Gulls to soar away with all three points and end a three match winning run at home.

Harriers produced an error strewn performance at the back and conceded five goals in a game for the third time this season.

Even more worrying is the Aggborough side's failure to beat top six sides, having lost to Aldershot, Stevenage Borough and now Torquay. Taking points off teams which share Harriers' desire for promotion is a must if they are to reach League Two, but they are failing miserably to do so.

One positive to come out for the home side was the imperious form of striker James Constable, who scored a deserved double and never gave up even when he was let down by his team-mate's defending.

From the start the striker signalled his intent to terrorise a makeshift Torquay defence, which had on-loan Bolton Wanderers defender Mark Ellis making his debut.

He stung keeper Simon Rayner's hands with a fierce shot in the opening minutes after latching onto Jeff Kenna's pass and cutting in from the right. But Harriers' keeper, Chris MacKenzie, did not look so comfortable as his opposite number on his debut after joining on-loan from Shrewsbury the day before.

In an open end-to-end game between two teams committed to attacking MacKenzie had little time to settle and set Harriers' nerves jangling when he missed Kevin Nicholson's free-kick, which tore through the penalty box untouched.

MacKenzie was caught out for Torquay's opener, when he was spotted off his line by right back Paul Hinshelwood who beat him with a dipping effort from inside his own half.

It's debatable if the Gulls man meant it, but fluke or moment of magic it left the home team trailing.

The stunner did not knock Harriers back for long and with Constable and Justin Richards leading the line they roared back.

Confident Constable was operating a shoot on sight policy and he fizzed a 20-yard effort wide of Rayner's post.

But the hot-headed hitman was booked for fouling Mark Ellis in the 32nd minute.

Another error by the hapless MacKenzie gifted Torquay a second goal. The keeper caused more nerves when he almost punched a corner into his own net and then completely missed the next one to allow Gulls top scorer Tim Sills to head in.

Stunned, the home side pressed ahead and Andy Ferrell saw a good effort blocked, while Constable's excellent effort was acrobatically saved by Rayner.

But as Harriers swept forward they left gaps that ruthless Torquay took advantage of.

The home defence gave Chris Zebroski too much space when he controlled a goal-kick and rounded a despairing MacKenzie to slot the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle in the 40th minute.

Harriers' defence was then conspicuous by its absence as Zebroski was allowed unchallenged to head Nicholson's free-kick past MacKenzie on the hour mark.

The goal was a hammer blow but Constable almost single-handledly lifted his team with an all-action display.

He inspired hope of an improbable recovery when he headed Michael Blackwood's cross beyond Rayner seven minutes later.

The fight back could have been on if Justin Richards had scored in the 74th minute. The hard-working hitman had slotted the ball goal-wards after a great run by Constable but as he turned to celebrate it was cleared off the line.

The miss was punished a minute later when Lee Phillips was allowed to race down the right and score.

Constable did give the home fans a lift when he outpaced the tiring Torquay defence and finished emphatically, but it was too little too late.

For the second Saturday in a row Harriers came off worse in an open game. It's great for the neutrals but for fans it must be giving them nightmares.

Harriers: C MacKenzie 5; J Kenna 5; J Harkness 5; M Creighton 5; S Whitehead 6; J Constable 8; J Richards 6; R Penn 5; M Blackwood 5; A Ferrell (Russell 56, 6) 5, D Bennett 5.

Torquay: S Rayner; P Hinshelwood; K Nicholson; C Todd; T Sills (Wring 76); T Bedeau; M Hockley; C Zebroski; I Miller (Phillips 72); S Laird; M Ellis (Hill 77).

Referee: Mr C D Sarginson (Staffs). Attendance: 2027.