City travelled to Kidderminster in good spirits having negotiated the first five games of the season unbeaten. With this in mind, Paul Tisdale opted to keep with the same starting eleven that dominated against Weymouth on Bank Holiday Monday without managing to find the net. That line-up: Marriott in goal, a back three of Friend, Edwards and Matt Taylor, a midfield comprising Moxey and Tully on the flanks and Gill and Artus in the middle, with Mackie, Logan and Stansfield up front.

There was little sign of what was to follow in the early stages as City quickly got a grip on proceedings. Last season's match at Aggborough was marred by a brutal physical approach by the home side, and this match started in the same vein, as Constable and Ferrell escaped censure from the Referee. City, however, kept their composure and Jamie Mackie forced the first save out of Scott Bevan in the Kidderminster goal with a fierce drive from the left hand side that Bevan held comfortably. George Friend too had a half-chance, the ball sailing high and wide. Perhaps the best opportunity, though, fell to Stansfield. Mackie's persistance on the right flank paid off, and he squared it to Stansfield in space. Stansfield, though, snatched at it and, with a style reminiscent of a novice golfer, lifted his head and "topped" it straight at Bevan. From a City corner, Tully headed at goal but failed to make a decent connection.

Kidderminster, meanwhile, were reduced to speculative efforts, such as a long-range shot from Ferrell that drifted miles over. However, just as it looked like the visitors would edge in front, disaster struck for City. Richard Logan had the ball and looked to release Mackie with a through ball. The ball, though, had got stuck under his feet and, instead of launching a delicate through ball, he powder-puffed it straight to the Kidderminster defender who, quick as a flash, released Justin Richards. Richards rounded Marriott, but in doing so his angle was very narrow and he could only hit the post. The ball rebounded perfectly for James Constable, who beat Friend on the line to put the home side a goal up.

Tully was booked for a foul, the Ref going back to book him after Kidderminster's advantage ended unsuccessfully. City were bemused, not necessarily by the booking which in fairness was deserved but for the Ref's unwillingness to act after a foul in the same circumstances by Harkness - not to mention the challenges at the start of the game. Ferrell did eventually end up in the book, but this should have been his second yellow card.

After the bolt out of the blue of Kidderminster's first goal, the second not long before half-time was a real sucker punch. City lost possession deep in the Harriers' half, and allowed the home side to build up play down the right. Eventually a sumptuous cross behind the defence was met with a bullet header by Russell Penn. If one were to apportion blame it would lie squarely at Dean Moxey and George Friend - Moxey for marking the wrong man allowing the right back a free run, and Friend for not pushing Moxey on and marking the man he was previously tracking.

The second half needed something special from City, who appeared on the pitch several minutes before the end of the half-time period, and good work from Dean Moxey should have resulted at least in a City forward getting a shot off. Likewise a few minutes later Richard Logan put in a superb cross, again nobody took a gamble. Tisdale had seen enough, and shuffled his pack slightly with Lee Elam replacing George Friend. One of Elam's first contributions was a fine cross - once again no City player gambled, and this was ever more criminal as the home defence on this occasion resembled the names of an Estate Agent firm on one of the advertising hoardings - "Doolittle and Dallie". The ball bounced in the area, as Mackie in particular stood and watched, before the defence finally woke up and cleared.

All the while, Kidderminster looked like scoring every time they broke forward. Russell Penn hit the bar with a shot of such ferocity the bar was still wobbling several seconds later. The 3rd goal eventually arrived, another decent cross and Constable was left all alone in the six-yard box to head home. Perhaps Marriott should have claimed the cross, but from 120 yards away it was hard to judge the flight. The final goal of the afternoon was a breakaway goal, Constable slotting home the one-on-one to complete his hat-trick

With further subs - Basham and Cozic on for Logan and Artus respectively - City pushed for a consolation, Mackie blazing over a couple of times, before Bevan brilliantly clawed away a scorcher from Stansfield. City's Football in the last five to ten minutes was superb, making a mockery of the missed passes and general unease of the previous hour or so.

It is easy to look at a scoreline like this and treat it as a complete disaster. Yes, from Kidderminster's first goal until about 10 minutes from the end, City were a shadow of the side that would expect to be challenging for honours. The 3-4-3 formation with Tully and Moxey on the flanks perhaps would suit a more attack-minded wide player alongside one of Tully or Moxey - both presented plenty of endeavour but Tully in particular looks out of position. Logan, in the first half especially, got no change out of the 9'7" Creighton - and to see City launch high balls at this colossus was perplexing. Stansfield ought to be a 20-goal striker, but, his fierce shot late on apart, looked like he wanted an extra touch before shooting. Once he gets the confidence to just bang it in, he'll fly, as all his other attributes are outstanding.

For all that, when City got the ball down and played they looked as good as anything seen in recent years. If the first goal had gone in at the other end, it is very likely that we would be reminiscing now about that fantastic 4-0 victory rather than that awful 4-0 defeat.

It is sad to note that amongst the fans there were a number of whingers - a small pocket of whom launched into "Tisdale Out!" as the fourth goal went in. However, they were quickly shouted down by a generally positive away support, most of whom applauded the effort at the final whistle. Sometimes it's one of those days, this was precisely that - let's hope that it is out of their system by Tuesday night at Oxford...