Harriers slipped back to the bottom of the National League table after being handed a 3-1 defeat by impressive league leaders Chesterfield at Aggborough.

The in-form Spireites, who’d lost just once all season prior to their trip to Worcestershire, swept aside Russ Penn’s charges with a superior second half display.

It was, conversely, a tenth league defeat for Harriers, who suffered the added blow of finishing the game with ten men following Reiss McNally’s dismissal for two yellow cards in the final minutes.

Harriers opted two make two changes to their eleven for the clash – one of them enforced, as Bailey Hobson was ineligible to face his parent club having extended his loan with Harriers from Chesterfield earlier in the week.

Having signed on Tuesday prior to the Altrincham game for which he was an unused substitute, Ryan McLean was handed a first start, while Brown was also restored to side.

The host were bright in the first half and caused their share of problems. McLean did excellently to spin in the area and get a shot away, goalkeeper Ryan Boot equal to it with a smothering save.

Chesterfield were in front after 21 minutes. Harriers were attacking and Barry Maguire shaped to pull the trigger from distance, only to be robbed of the ball as the blue shirts swarmed forward on the counter attack, the ball slipped into Banks who had time to set himself before slotting a good finish past Christian Dibble.

Harriers responded well and, after efforts from McLean and Sammy Robinson, they were back on level terms. Robinson’s free kick delivery was headed back across goal by McNally where Brown was on hand to rise and head home his first ever goal at National League level.

If the first half was an even affair, the second was anything but. Inside seven minutes of the restart, Dibble had kept his team in the game with a great save from Grigg and a good block of a Naylor attempt.

Seconds after the latter, Harriers really ought to have gone in front when Brown shot straight into Boot’s arms with what was the home side’s only real effort of the period.

Chesterfield began to dominate possession and, in turn, frustrate Harriers. They were back in front seven after the hour when Banks reacted quickest after Penny desperately cleared a Grigg effort off the line.

Frustration set in for the hosts, who lost McNally after he’d accumulated two yellow cards in the space of 20 minutes, resulting in a red.

Grigg, who cost Sunderland a reported £4 million just four years ago, finally got in on the act with the final goal of the afternoon as the game drifted into injury time, nodding home a cross from six yards to the delight of more than 1,500 away fans.

Harriers take a break from league action next time out as they welcome FA Cup action back to Aggborough.

Fleetwood Town, who play two divisions higher in League 1, are the opposition on Sunday, 5th November at 2:00pm.