Aggborough’s lowest crowd of the campaign – 1,404 – saw Harriers turn on a power display.
Their sixth win in seven home games took them to within six points of top in the Nationwide Conference.
And how Southport wished they could have turned the clock back as Mark Druce helped himself to a hat-trick and Rene Petersen snapped up a brace.
An outstanding home record over the last two months has turned Jan Molby’s slow starters into serious championship contenders.
The last four home wins have come without conceding a goal and they certainly showed a ruthless streak against a disappointing mid-table Southport side.
The visitors failed to get a shot on target all afternoon and it was a miserable return to Worcestershire for striker Ian Arnold, who was Harriers’ Player of the Year two seasons ago.
To be fair, he was probably the pick of the bunch for the out-of-sorts visitors, who just could not handle a Harriers side brimming with attacking ideas.
Molby rang the changes by reverting to a 4-4-2 style and how it paid dividends.
They were ahead in the 22nd minute when Thomas Skovbjerg opened up the visitors with a dashing run down the left before crossing for Druce to net with a firm downward header from 12 yards.
They went two up from the penalty spot in the 34th minute. Paul Webb’s cross was handled by full-back Kevin Formby and Petersen blasted in the spot-kick, although keeper Steve Dickinson made a brave attempt to keep it out and took the sting out of the powerfully-hit shot before the ball rolled over the line.
Southport had their best spell at the start of the second-half. Substitute Gerrard Courtney skimmed the bar with a fierce drive and Arnold twice came close to reducing the arrears, but both efforts went narrowly the wrong side of the post.
But Harriers climbed back into the driving seat when Petersen raced through the middle and coolly slotted home their third goal in the 63rd minute. Nine minutes later substitute Phil King produced a left-wing cross for Druce to make it 4-0 with another classic header and six minutes from time he completed his hat-trick when he charged in between a startled defender and goalkeeper to turn the ball home from close-range.
Match Report – Port Online – 13/11/1999
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Match Details
Match Details - 13/11/1999
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