“AN absolute disgrace” were the words Chester’s joint manager Anthony Johnson chose to describe his side’s performance.

There were a few others too which can’t be printed as a furious Johnson tore into his players following one of Chester’s poorest displays of the season, and one which leaves their play-off hopes hanging by a thread with the Blues now as low as tenth in the National League North table and three points off the top seven.

With forward duo Akwasi Asante and Anthony Dudley both returning from injury there had been high hopes that Chester could get their play-off push back on track after defeats to Spennymoor and Curzon.

But despite Asante giving the Blues a 37th minute lead, there was little the visitors could do as Kiddy roared back with two goals before half time before the Worcestershire outfit added two more in the second half to give returning manager Mark Yates the perfect start to his second spell in charge.

“It’s difficult to put into words without ‘effing’ and ‘jeffing’ and being aggressive,” said Johnson. “It’s not acceptable. You come to Kiddy, a full-time side, you’re 1-0 up with seven minutes until half time and concede two disgraceful goals.

“Second half you are looking for a response and we saw a response but it was the opposite of what we were looking for. It is not acceptable from any of us, from Bernard (Morley) and me through to everybody else - that was not acceptable.

“For 65 minutes of that game, what pains me and hurts me is that we haven’t shown desire. It’s not often I can say that about our sides. We’re wallowing in self pity. There is nothing. It’s a disgrace.”

Chester were under the cosh straight from the kick-off with Liam McAlinden looking lively down the host’s left and Milan Butterfield showing nice touches in midfield.

Despite Asante, George Waring and Dudley all playing in advanced positions, the trio quickly looked isolated with the Blues sporadic long balls easily dealt with by the hosts.

Frustrations grew and Waring went into the book for a late challenge before Joe Ironside had the first sight of goal with a long range chip over Grant Shenton’s bar.

The dangerous McAlinden, who was giving Matty Thomson a torrid time, then went even closer with a run into the area that resulted in a cross-shot going narrowly wide.

Moments later Thomson inevitably went into the book for a pull back on McAlinden with an opener for the hosts feeling like it was on the cards, so it was a huge surprise when the first goal went to the visitors.

A couple of corners gave warning that Chester could threaten before a neat link up between Dudley and Asante on the edge of the box found the big Dutchman, who slotted coolly past Brandon Hall.

The goal was totally against the run of play but far from capitalising on their good fortune the Blues were almost immediately pegged back thanks to a stunning volley from the edge of the area by Declan Weeks.

Chester just had to hold steady but as the half entered injury time a corner found Ironside, and with Shenton flapping he nodded into an empty net.

Things improved slightly after the break with the hosts willing to concede more possession to Chester but this did little to help the visitors creativity.

Kidderminster looked comfortable and with 20 minutes left they made the game safe with the third goal their dominance deserved. A quick free-kick released McAlinden down the left who crossed only for Shenton to claw at the ball and deflect it straight to Ryan Johnson who stabbed home.

Chester were increasingly chasing shadows, and Harriers scored a fourth after substitute Ed Williams advanced unhindered to the edge of the Blues’ box before placing a low shot past a diving Shenton.

“We’re miles away,” admitted Johnson. “That was a shambles, and that is coming off the back of two other defeats. That isn’t off the back of five wins and thinking ‘don’t worry about it’. That was an absolute disgrace of a performance from us. Whether it was the team picked, the shape, it’s not acceptable.

“There are so many questions with no answers. You talk about the play-offs? We are nowhere near. If you would have watched that today you would think we were rock bottom. It was absolutely awful, an awful standard of football and players playing at 30-40 per cent and it can’t carry on.”