Harriers 2
Forest Green 1

SUPER-SUB Damian Spencer bagged an injury winner as Harriers grabbed all three points at Aggborough.

The game seemed destined to end in a draw but Spencer's late effort made sure Harriers keep on the coat-tails of the teams occupying the Blue Square Premier's play-off spots.

The home side won the game with two fine strikes that lit up a dull game, where Forest Green showed enough to at least earn a point.

Manager Steve Burr made no changes from the side that drew 0-0 at Oxford in the league last week.

Chris McPhee saw a shot deflected over the bar in a rare attack by the home side.

In contrast, Forest Green were looking sharper and Reece Styche tried to win a penalty when he went down under little pressure from Duane Courtney in the box.

But Harriers opened the scoring in the 12 minute after some wonderful play by home debutant Marc Goodfellow.

McPhee started the attack when he won the ball on the edge of Harriers' box, Brian Smikle and John Finnigan linked well to release Burton loanee Goodfellow on the right.

He perplexed Forest Green's defence when instead of running down the right flank, he lofted a pass into the box and Smikle timed his run to perfection to nod the ball beyond keeper Danny Ireland.

Robbie Matthews could have doubled the lead but headed a corner over the bar moments later.

The visitors pushed for a leveller and Conal Platt tried his luck and flashed a shot across the face of goal.

When roused, Harriers were playing the better football and assistant manager Finnigan thrashed a 30-yard effort wide.

Despite bursts of quality, the match failed to raise above the levels of a subdued affair Captain McPhee lost the ball in midfield and Styche out paced Gavin Caines but directed his shot off target.

Harriers' right-back Duane Courtney tested the reflexes of Ireland in the 37th minute when he saw a powerful rising shot from the edge of area athletically tipped over by the Coventry keeper.

The away side came out more determined in the second half and made the breakthrough in the 59th minute. Jonathan Smith rose unmarked to meet Curtis McDonald's left-wing cross and head it into the back of the net at the near post.

Burr wasted little time in reshuffling his troops and making a double substitution.

Forwards Darryl Knights replaced Dean Bennett and Matthews trudged off for Damian Spencer as Harriers reverted with to a 4-4-2 formation with a little and large strike force.

But the away side continued to threaten and David Brown's close-range effort deflected wide off Lee Baker.

Good work by Knights and Smikle allowed Spencer the chance to run at Forest Green's defence but the big striker stumbled as he entered the box.

Spencer was denied in the 80th minute as Harriers staged a late push for a winner.

After the ball had pinged around Forest Green's box, the hitman dug out a close-range effort that a diving Ireland blocked.

But Harriers' pressure finally told in the 91st minute when Spencer fired them ahead.

The opportunity came when Knights stepped over Martin Riley's throughball and Spencer slammed a fine effort on the run across a helpless Ireland.

Victory was only Harriers' third ever against the Gloucestershire side and ended a run of four draws against their bogey side.

Harriers: Coleman 6; Bakerb6; Caines 6; Riley 6; Courtney 6; Finnigan 8; Bennett 6 (Knights, 63); McPhee 6; Smikle 7; Goodfellow 6; Matthews 6(Spencer, 63).

Unused substitutes: Singh; Hadley; Sharpe.

Forest Green: Ireland; McDonald; Preece; Brown; Styche (Stonehouse, 65); Platt (Rocastle, 46); Smith; Ameobi; O'Cearuill; Hodgkiss; Rankin (Thorne, 89).

Unused subtitutes: Wilkinson; Lloyd.

Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside). Attendance: 1,421 (99).