Comfortable Harriers sweep aside Stutes

Steve Burr's troops enhanced their chances of making the Blue Square Premier's top five and securing play-off place with a fine display.

Brian Smikle opened the scoring in the first half but strikes by John Finnigan and Darryl Knights after the break killed off any chances of the Cambridgeshire side earning a share of the spoils.

In fact, Harriers could have won by a cricket score once they established their lead.

With Mansfield, Rushden and Diamonds, Kettering and Luton all dropping points, Harriers' win keeps them on the coat-tails of the top five.

In-form midfielder Brian Smikle scored his third goal in consecutive games to hand Harriers the perfect start in the fourth minute.

Lee Baker sped down the left and dragged the ball back into the box and Smikle enjoyed some luck as he deflected the ball past a flat-footed Danny Naisbitt in goal.

He could have doubled the lead in the 11th minute when he timed his run into the box to perfection to meet Duane Courtney's right-wing ball but scuffed his close-range effort into Naisbitt.

The save inspired the away side and they pressed for a leveller.

Centreback Gavin Caines did well to slide in and cut out Erkan Okay's right-wing ball in the 15th minute.

Keeper Ross Atkins, making his home debut, calmly smothered Nathaniel Knight-Percival's firm downward header from a Gareth Gwillim free-kick.

But Histon's keeper produced heroics to deny left-back Baker, who had been Harriers' most potent attacker, in the 31st minute.

The defender swapped passes with Smikle and saw his 12-yard shot take a wicked deflection off Okay, but somehow Naisbitt arched backwards and tipped the ball onto the bar.

Harriers then felt they had a legitimate goal ruled-out moments later. Smikle started a flowing move that involved Robbie Matthews and Duane Courtney and timed his run into the box accurately to meet the defender's raking low pass to score from close range, only for the assistant referee to wrongly chalk it out for offside.

The same official incurred the wrath of the home fans when he ruled that Smikle was offside moments later after another intelligent run saw him glide past a Histon defender to reach a long ball.

Harriers were carving the Stutes up at will in a curiously open match. Dean Bennett should done better in a trademark Harriers counter-attack after swapping passes with Baker but stabbed the ball off target.

Histon had rarely threatened with any real intent but Danny Wright could have scored when he dived to meet Okay's free-kick but just missed the ball.

But two goals in three minutes killed off the Cambridgeshire side. First, player/coach John Finnigan smashed a fine volley beyond Naibitt from Chris McPhee's looping cross in the 56th minute.

Darryl Knights then grabbed only his third ever goal for Harriers and his first in the league for 18 months.

Finnigan was once again at the heart of the move, winning the ball and evading two tackles before slipping the ball to Knights on the right, who smashed an emphatic shot into the back of the net.

Smikle was given a standing ovation when he was replaced by James Lawrie. The on-loan Port Vale almost announced his time at Harriers with a goal but Naisbitt was equal to his firm effort from the edge of the box.

Matthews could have added a fourth but just missed Baker's fine cross as Harriers searched for more goals.

Lawrie came close again in the 80th minute after being teed up by captain McPhee, but the hitman's first-time right-foot shot flew a fraction off target.

Harriers: Atkins; Courtney; Baker; Finnigan; Caines (Sharpe, 66); Riley; Knights; Bennett; McPhee; Matthews (Bignot, 86); Smikle (Lawrie, 69).

Unused substitutes: Singh; Goodfellow.

Histon: Naisbitt; Tann; Gwillim; Sheringham; Southam; Frew (Sparkes, 65); Knight-Percival; Wright (Oyebanjo, 65); Smith; Okay (Hudson-Odoi, 86).

Unused substitutes: Tidswell; Knight.

Referee: Matthew (Bristow). Attendance: 1,293 (20)