Kidderminster Harriers 1 Macclesfield Town 4

Last updated : 20 March 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Kidderminster's topsy turvey season continued when struggling Macclesfield handed them their heaviest home defeat.

It came just a fortnight after they notched their best home success of the campaign by beating York by the same scoreline.

This time, though, they were totally out of sorts and no one would begrudge Macclesfield a vital win in their bid to avoid relegation.

The next to bottom team came into the game with just one win from their previous ten outings but three precious points kept alive their hopes of avoiding a return to the Conference.

They adapted far better to the difficult conditions caused by gale force winds and never looked like losing.

Kidderminster had won three of the last four games and reckoned a victory over their struggling visitors would virtually guarantee their Third Division status.

But they got a rude awakening when they found themselves trailing 3-0 inside 37 minutes.

The rot set in as early as the fourth minute when Mark Yates tripped Matthew Tipton and the Macclesfield top scorer coolly slotted home from the penalty spot for his fifteenth goal of the season.

Martin Carruthers headed home the second in the 29th minute when he ran in unmarked to meet a Paul Harsley cross from the right.

There was more misery for the home side eight minutes later when the impressive Jon Parkin and Carruthers combined to release Harsley whose shot took a deflection on its way into the net.

Kidderminster had to wait until the 47th minute for their first attempt at goal, Adam Murray curling a 25-yard free kick just wide of the upright.

Athough they did better in the second half, Macclesfield hit them again in the 78th minute when Tipton slipped through to score his second from close range.

Home substitute Scott Rickards pulled one back six minutes from time but his first goal in league football since his signing from Conference club Tamworth was merely a consolation.