A first goal in Harriers colours for Nick Wright was among the highlights as Steve Burr's men thumped League Two side Crewe Alexandra 4-0 at Aggborough on Monday night.
The home side stole an eleventh-minute lead in this one, a strong run out-wide by Matty Blair saw him given time and space to deliver into the area to an onrushing Nick Wright; the striker saw his first shot-blocked by a defender by he remained alert to the loose ball and stabbed home at the second attempt.
Barely four minutes later it was 2-0; it was danger on the other wing this time as Kyle Hadley strode through the visiting defence before slipping a great ball through to the feet of trial man Charlie Bird who took one touch to control and another to finish smartly past Bartek Fogler between the sticks.
Two minutes before the half-hour mark the lead was extended further as the goals continued to flow - Bird found himself fouled in the area by Crewe's Harry Davis with the referee pointing to the spot. Player-coach Finnigan stepped up for penalty duty and smashed a fine effort into the top-right corner of the net.
Four minutes before the break it should have been 4-0 - a surging run from Hadley had the visiting back-line flat-footed, the winger firing an absolute rocket that flew past Fogler and thumped off the angle of post and bar.
Nine minutes after the break Crewe should have had one back as Jimmy McCarthy and Ajay Leitch-Smith charged past the Harriers defence - the former chose to shoot at goal on the angle and blazed over the bar despite McCarthy being free in the centre.
At the other end there were two chances in quick succession for the hosts - Wright firing a great effort narrowly over the bar from a corner-kick, Henry Eze then heading wide of the target.
Harriers introduced five subs just shy of the hour mark and one of them, Lee Morris, went close to an instant impact as he stung the hands of the goalkeeper on 66 minutes with a powerful drive following good work by Dave Hankin.
The fourth goal did follow two minutes later and again it was owing to some alertness in the home ranks - good delivery again from Hankin saw Wright have a shot parried by Fogler, the ball running free to Tom Shaw who fired sharply into the back of the net.
On 73 minutes it was inches away from being 5-0 - Lee Morris latched on to a ball from Robert Thompson Brown and teased his man, taking it to the by-line before fizzing in a firm cross that whizzed across the face off goal before bouncing off the foot of the far post.
Callum Gittings had a late chance to celebrate his one-year deal at Aggborough as he got free in the area, his effort flying into the side netting with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
Harriers: Andrew Stevens, Paul McCone (Lee Vaughan 45), Mark Albrighton (Michael Briscoe 78), Aaron Griffiths (Mike Williams 58), Henry Eze (Tom Sharpe 78), Kyle Hadley (Dave Hankin 58), Jack Byrne, John Finnigan (Callum Gittings 58), Matty Blair (Tom Shaw 58), Charlie Bird (Lee Morris 58), Nick Wright (Robert Thompson-Brown 70).
Unused subs: Danny Lewis
Crewe: Bartek Fogler, Danny Shelley (Kelvin Mellor 45), Andy White (Ollie Turton 45), Mat-Mitchell King, Adam Dugdale, Harry Davis, Byron Moore, Danny Maguire, Jimmy McCarthy (Jordan Connerton 65), Antoni Sarcevic, Ajay Leitch-Smith (Joel Grant 78).
Attendance: 488 (23 away fans)
