Cambridge 5, Harriers 1

HARRIERS were blown away by promotion rivals Cambridge's stirring second half fight back at the Abbey Stadium.

The Aggborough outfit looked like they might record their first away win in the Skrill Premier since October when Anthony Malbon fired them ahead.

But the hosts, who had seen their title hopes dashed with just two wins in ten  league matches, roared back.

They levelled with a fortuitous effort by Josh Coulson but second half efforts from Ryan Bird, Delano Sam-Yorke, Luke Berry and Andy Pugh secured a first win in six matches for the U's.

Defeat also means Harriers are four points off the play-offs.

Lee Vaughan returned to Harriers's starting 11 after serving his two-match ban, with Mickey Demetriou dropping down to the bench.

In contrast, U's boss Richard Money made five changes from the side which lost at Braintree.

He also threw in striker Delano-Yorke, who had been on loan at Lincoln and had terrorised the Kidderminster defence a fortnight ago, into the side.

The first 25 minutes were forgettable as two teams struggling with confidence in the final third created few chances.

But winger Adrian Cieslewicz produced a bit of magic to create the opening goal.

The former Wrexham player saw his cross blocked by Richard Tait but the wideman raced to the byline and sped past the Cambridge man before pulling the ball back to Malbon, who rifled home a first time shot.

It was the striker's seven goal of the season and his first since the win over Tamworth in November.

The goal roused Cambridge from their slumber and they set about piling the pressure on the visitors.

Harriers looked comfortable but a stroke of bad luck let the hosts back into the match.  Sam-Yorke did well to keep a corner from Ryan Donaldson alive  and found Coulson, whose drive took a wicked deflection off Josh O'Keefe to fly past helpless keeper Nathan Vaughan.

The second half started with U's attacker Bird firing into the side netting.

But two goals in two minutes left Harriers reeling.

First, Liam Hughes pounced on Chey Dunkley's stray pass and found Sam-Yorke, who spun past the defender and delivered a powerful cross which thundered off the head of Bird to fly into the back of the net in the 53rd minute.

Delano-Yorke then made it 3-1 with a lofted effort from a tight angle.

The away team tried to hit back and Cieslewicz saw an effort from edge of the box well-saved.

Amari Morgan-Smith was also denied by the keeper.

Josh Gowling came close to scoring in the 77th minute when his overhead kick fizzed wide But Harriers fell further behind in the 79h minute.

Cambridge attacker Nathan Arnold had already been booked for a dive when he seemed to go down in the box under minimal contact from Dunkley and Luke Berry smashed the penalty straight down the middle.

Kidderminster keeper Vaughan prevented the scoreline from getting any worse, pushing away a rising long range effort from Berry and then denying Sam-Yorke from close range.

Cieslewicz's stinging effort also drew a fine stop from Norris.

But substitute Pugh rubbed salt into Harriers' wounds with an 92 minute effort.

Harriers: N Vaughan, L Vaughan, Storer, Dunkley, Byrne (Rowe, 59), Malbon, Jackman, Morgan-Smith, O'Keefe (Gittings, 82), Cieslewicz, Gowling.  Subs not used: Lewis, Demetriou, Aloi.

Cambridge: Norris, Taylor, Coulson, Miller, Donaldson (Pugh, 85), Champion (Hughes, 51), Tait, Berry, Sam-Yorke, Arnold, Bird.

Subs not used: Sullivan, Austin, Gillies.

Referee: Justin Emery.

Attendance: 2528 (176)