Kidderminster Harriers ended their 2023-24 campaign with defeat on the road courtesy of a 4-1 reverse at high-flying Barnet.

Charlie Weston’s second half goal proved only a consolation for the men from Aggborough as the hosts secured what was ultimately a straightforward success.

With relegation already confirmed a week ago courtesy of the home defeat to Eastleigh, Manager Phil Brown had the relative freedom to pick what was a largely experimental Harriers side as the curtain came down on the campaign at The Hive against the play-off chasing Bees.

Among four changes to the starting line-up, there were debuts given to February signing Seb Thompson and Harriers Academy teenager Noah Rubio. Also in the 16 were goalkeeper Josh Bishop, winger Samson Hewett and striker Kobe Hall, all of whom were recalled from loans on Friday in order to be included.

In blustery conditions in London, it was The Bees who adjusted best and strode into a relatively comfortable lead.

Charlie Weston had registered a chance for the visitors with an effort that flew over the target, before Nicke Kabamba forced a vital save from Christian Dibble, shooting at close range.

The first goal came shortly after the half-hour mark and with likely a little too much ease for Brown’s liking, a corner lifted into the Harriers area and nodded home, unmarked, by Danny Collinge.

Harriers, boosted by the enthusiasm of the likes of Rubio and Thompson, always looked lively going forward, but failed to seriously test the home back line. That gave the hosts enough belief, adding to their score with goals a couple of minutes either side of the break.

Kabamba made it 2-0 on 44 when his downward header looped up and over Dibble and into the net, while Luke Freeman’s close-range finish added a third with 48 played.

The travellers did manage to get on the score sheet around the hour mark, a composed team move seeing Ashley Hemmings and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain combine, the ball pulled back to Weston who arrowed a finish into the net for a first goal of his loan spell from Blackburn Rovers.

Harriers might have had a second back not long after when Hemmings went for goal himself. A driven effort from 18 yards forced Josh Kelly into his first action of note of the afternoon, a smart parry sending the ball away before Oxlade-Chamberlain angled a rebound wide of the far post.

The game was far more open in its final stages and, in the final minute of normal time and after a scramble at the other end that allowed sub goalkeeper Bishop to smother, Amari Morgan-Smith saw a deflected effort hit the upright having looked destined for the back of the net.

Barnet did have the final word of the day, netting deep in injury time at the end of the clash as Idris Kanu's shot deflected past Bishop who could do little about it.