United suffered just their second defeat of the season as they went down at Kidderminster this afternoon. James Constable's penalty was not enough for the U's who had Steven Kinniburgh sent off as they tried to rally in the second half.

United made one change of personnel, giving Sam Deering his first start since Boxing Day after a series of impressive sub outings, and that in turn meant a change of shape for the team at kick off with Constable tireless up front on his own.

After torrential rain in the build up the ground staff at Aggborough had worked wonders to produce a playable surface, and their hard work paid off after just ninety seconds as their side took the lead. United hadn't really cleared their lines since the very first attack of the match and when Harriers got the ball across from their left flank the sliding Luke Foster smothered the ball, perhaps with the use of his left arm, but was still on the deck as the ball broke to Robbie Mathews near the penalty spot, and his spinning effort found the right hand corner of the net perfectly with Ryan Clarke rooted to his line.

United have rarely been behind this season and certainly not so early in a game, and Harriers kept them under pressure for the next phase of the game with long balls looking for Matthews in the air or the pace of Barnes-Homer in behind United's back line. The U's still hadn't really settled and were 2-0 down on sixteen minutes. Constable challenged back but conceded a free kick 25 yards from goal. Kidderminster had two men over the set piece and it looked like McDermott was lining up a shot, but instead it was touched forward for Barnes Homer, steaming on to the ball like one of the trains in the railway behind the home end. His shot was ferocious and ripped into the net with Clarke helpless despite a valiant flying effort to his right to reach it.

Stunned to be 2-0 down so early in the game United needed a goal back, and on 29 minutes were given the ideal opportunity. Kinniburgh clipped the ball down the left channel and Deering gave chase like a terrier. Keeper Coleman was favourite but Deering wasn't going to give up and that meant they reached the ball at the same moment. Coleman sprawled and caught Deering as the midfielder nipped the ball past him: penalty and a lifeline. The last time United had one Matt Green saw his effort saved, but against the side where he made his name there was no way Constable was going to let anyone else take the spot kick. Ice in his veins, Constable thumped the ball home for his twelfth of the season much to the annoyance of the home fans who once worshipped him.

Kidderminster had looked so composed and determined but were suddenly on the back foot as United hit their stride. Constable saw a shot smack into Coleman's midriff, Deering glanced a header wide and suddenly we had a real game on our hands. One of several flowing moves saw Deering slip Bulman in on goal on 42 only for Coleman to save well, and then both sides almost found another goal within thirty seconds. Foster smacked a downwards header in from a Murray corner but saw it hacked off the line, and from that clearance Harriers roared up the other end and Smikle forced Clarke into a great save from a right footed low drive.

With yellow cards, fierce challenges, goals and some great football from both sides it had been a magnificent half of football, but having gained the late initiative United's hard work had another severe knockback seven minutes into the second half as Kidderminster opened up a two goal advantage again. Once again it was a simple enough goal with a low cross from the left doing the damage, and big striker Matthews left in a suspicious amount of space inside the box to sidefoot home a left footed effort which gave Clarke no chance at all.

Even at 3-1 down United were far from out of it but couldn't find that all important spark to lift them once again. There was no shortage of effort, and three decent crosses flew across goal with no one to finish them off, but the home side were looking more and more assured with each passing minute. Jack Midson and Marcus Kelly were thrown on to try and find a way through, and if inspiration was needed then a glance at the superb away fans at the end they were attacking should have sufficed.

The one thing missing from the whole package was a red card though and on 75 it was United who suffered it. A simple long ball over the top freed Barnes-Homer and despite Kinniburgh's best efforts he just couldn't quite catch the striker. Instead he slid in, caught the forward's heels and was off for the second time as a United player. Matthews saw the chance of a hat-trick but hadn't reckoned on Clarke who flung himself to his right to save the penalty and then, incrediby, was up and ready to make an astonishing save as Smikle crashed in a shot from the rebound.

The ten men in yellow threw everything they had at Kidderminster, Green seeing a penalty claim dismissed before he limped off after a heavy challenge as time ran out. Chapman's sizzling free kick was clawed away under the bar by Coleman with six minutes to go and even a man light they kept going forward, but this time the mountain was just too high as, as in their only previous defeat (at Mansfield) a slow start and early goals against had done all the damage.

Great entertainment for any neutrals or Harriers fans, tough viewing for United's supporters. Still top, still plenty to play for, get behind the U's at home to Barrow next Saturday.

Att:3,569

Away: 2,009

Report by Chris Williams

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