Dover 0, Harriers 1

JACK Byrne bagged a second half goal as Harriers recorded a rare away win in Dover.

The driving midfielder capped another solid display by the Aggborough outfit, who stretched their unbeaten start to the Vanarama Conference to six games.

The Aggborough outfit had previously only won at Southport, Hyde and Peterborough in the FA Cup since October.

But three points means manager Gary Whild has yet to taste defeat away from Kidderminster since taking over as boss in March.

The visitors were without manager Whild, who had made the trip down to Dover with the squad but was laid low by illness. That saw assistant Mark Creighton in charge.

Harriers made two changes from the side which drew with Chester.

Centre back Jamie Grimes, now sporting a new shaven headed look, replaced the suspended Chey Dunkley in central defence.

Meanwhile, Aman Verma was drafted into midfield ahead of Callum Gittings.

The hosts started well and on-loan Cambridge defender Tom Bonner saw a 20-yard effort fly wide.

Verma steered an effort across the face of goal but the home side created a decent chance in the ninth minute when Nathan Elder headed over the bar from Matt Lock's cross.

But Kidderminster created two good chances to score in quick succession.

First, Byrne drove forward and found Nathan Blissett, who fired an effort over the bar from 16 yards in the 15th minute.

Four minutes later, Craig Reid stole into the box to meet Kyle Storer's deep pass and let fly with a fine volley which keeper Mitch Walker did well to parry.

Byrne was getting forward with plenty of determination in the first half and he saw a well hot effort deflected wide by Chris Kinnear.

Dover came back into the game in the latter stages of the first half but the closest they came to scoring was a looping header from Elder during time added on.

But Byrne fired Harriers into the lead in the 51st minute. The midfielder chested down Storer's pass and volleyed home into the back of the net.

The goal was followed by a break in play as referee Dean Treleaven limped off,  with fourth official Paul Johnson taking over.

The away side continued to look the more likely to score and in the 65th minute, Josh Gowling headed a Kevin Nicholson corner over the bar.

Dover through on winger Chris Nanetti, who injected some pace into the hosts on the left flank.

The hosts saw a weak claim for a penalty ignored in the 79th minute after substitute hitman Jake Reid had raced into the area and went down under very little pressure from Gowling.

Dover pushed desperately for a leveller and they wanted a 90th minute penalty when they claimed a cross from Nanetti was blocked by Jared Hodgkiss' arm but again the referee ignored their pleas.

Harriers nearly wrapped up points during injury time but Walker was equal to Craig Reid's well-hit curling low free-kick.

Harriers: Lewis, Hodgkiss, Storer, Byrne, Johnson (Gittings, 90), Reid (Styche, 85), Blissett (Gash, 64), Grimes, Verma, Nicholson, Gowling.

Subs not used: Obeng, Singh.

Dover: Walker, Stone, Wynter (Nanetti, 68), Kinnear (Bellamy, 80), Orlu, Elder (Reid, 76), Cogan, Lock, Payne, Sterling, Bonner.

Subs not used: Deverdics, Mambo.

Referee: Dean Treleaven.

Attendance:  833