Harriers 0, Macclesfield 2

HARRIERS' promotion hopes suffered a setback as they were shot down by two second half goals.

Strikes by Alex Grant and Waide Fairhurst punished defensive errors by the hosts and lit up an otherwise uneventful clash between two sides striving for the Football League.

Manager Gary Whild stood by his threat the ring the changes after last week's defeat to Altrincham in the FA Trophy as he fielded an experimental attacking side.

He handed Keyon Reffell his Vanarama Conference debut, and drafted in Jordan Tunnicliffe, Aman Verma and Jake Green in a new look 4-3-2-1 formation.

But on a pitch which remained badly cut up and with large bald patches in the centre circle despite the best efforts of the groundstaff, the first half passed with little goalmouth incident.

The hosts did not come up life until the 27th minute, when Jack Byrne drove in a shot to force a corner.  Aman Verma came closest to breaking deadlock moments later when he saw a far post header cleared off the line by Danny Whitaker.

Marvin Johnson then drew a fine save from keeper Rhys Taylor in the 39th minute with a low 30-yard effort.

Kidderminster keeper Danny Lewis had to tip a header from George Pilkington over to bar in the 50th minute.

Both teams struggled to ignite the second half but Byrne steered an effort wide in the 62nd minute.

But two goals in as many minutes stunned the hosts.

Kyle Storer hade made a brave block to divert Fairhurst's corner behind for a corner.

But the home defend fell asleep at a corner and Pilkington headed the ball back into the box at the far post, which allowed Grant to scoop the ball into the back of the net.

Fairhurst then doubled the away team's lead in the 68th minute. He was first to Lewis' goal-kick, spotted the custodian put of position and beat him with a 45-yard wonder strike.

Jamie Grimes came close to getting the hosts back into the game, he rose quickest at the near post to meet Kevin Nicholson's corner but flashed his header over the bar.

It took a good block by Tunnicliffe to deny substitute Matthew Barnes-Homer a goal in the 86th minute. The former Kidderminster forward had got the better of Grimes.

But the home side lacked the guile to open up their opponents as they suffered their fourth home defeat in a row.

Harriers: Lewis, Hodgkiss, Green, Storer, Byrne, Johnson, Grimes, Verma (Gittings, 82), Reffell (Spencer, 67), Tunnicliffe, Nicholson.

Subs not used: Singh, Reid, Asante.

Macclesfield: Taylor, Halls, Barrow, Pilkington, Turnbull, Lewis, Fairhurst, Moke, Whitaker, Grant, Johnstone (Barnes-Homer, 62).

Subs not used: Branagan, Cowan, Haining, Rowe.

Referee: Ian Hussin (Merseyside).

Attendance: 1761 (186)