Harriers' defensive nightmare

Kidderminster continued to waste James Constable's goalscoring talents by producing a defensive display which boss Mark Yates described as 'comical'.

The former Walsall striker bagged a brace, but was badly let down by Harriers' sloppy rear-guard which has now shipped 11 goals in their last three outings.

Constable is now the Blue Square Premier's joint leading marksman with nine goals, although his deadly finishing failed to stop Torquay from bringing Kidderminster's run of three successive home victories to a halt.

The finger of blame pointed directly at Harriers' defenders who turned in a performance which disappointed Yates felt was 'a disgrace'.

With veteran on-loan goalkeeper Chris MacKenzie having a poor match on his Kidderminster debut, Yates' mid-table side conceded five goals in a game for the third time this season.

Watched by their first 2000-plus crowd of the season, Kidderminster fo-und themselves 3-0 down at half time - a harsh scoreline particularly as confident Constable had caused Torquay problems on a number of occasions.

The problems began, however, in the 13th minute when MacKenzie was caught off his line by a shot from just inside his own half by Kevin Nicholson.

Shellshocked MacKenzie was also at fault when Tim Sills made it 2-0 on 37 minutes.

This was followed three minutes later by Harriers' defence allowing Chris Zebroski to put the grateful Gulls into a commanding lead.

Striker Zebroski headed in a Nicholson free kick on the hour mark before shell-shocked Harriers finally managed to penetrate the visitors defence when Constable scored with a downward header.

Torquay rubbed salt into Kidderminster's defensive wounds by making it 5-1 with a 75th minute goal from substitute Lee Phillips.

Three minutes later Constable netted with a shot which went in off the inside of a post, but by then it was far too late to stop Torquay.

Kidderminster: MacKenzie; Kenna, Whitehead, Creighton, Harkness; Penn, Bennett, Ferrell (Russell, 56), Blackwood; Constable, Richards. Subs not used: Coleman, McGrath, Bignot, Barnes-Home.

Torquay: Rayner; Hinchelwood, Todd, Ellis (Hill, 76), Nicholson; Bedeau, Hockley, Laird, Welsh (Phillips, 72); Sills (Wring, 87), Zebroski. Subs not used: Rice, Stevens.

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffs).

Attendance: 2,027