Kidderminster Harriers 2 Morecambe 1

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers are heading for their Christmas and New Year matches against Hereford United as strong title candidates following Saturday's 2-1 Nationwide Conference win over high-riding Morecambe at Aggborough.

After falling behind in the 40th minute, Harriers stormed back with two second half goals in the space of 90 seconds through Scott Stamps and Stewart Hadley.

Within a minute of Hadley scoring, however, Morecambe were awarded a penalty which was well saved by keeper Tim Clarke.

For Kidderminster it was their sixth home league victory on the trot and lifted them into fourth place in the table, three points behind leaders Nuneaton Borough with three matches in hand.

The result also enabled manager Jan Molby's men to register their first league 'double' of the season, having won 1-0 at Morecambe in September.

Defender Stamps, who set Harriers on the way to victory by scoring with a deflected 25 yard free kick, said afterwards: "We really had a good battle. We went 1-0 down, but after that I thought we were on top.

"The pitch was a bit heavy, but the lads worked hard and the graft got us two goals and the three points."

Regarding his goal - only his second for the club - he added: "I just tried to whip it in hard and low for the players to come on the end of it, but it took a slight deflection and went into the goal."

During the first half Kidderminster were never at their best and always had to be on their guard against a Morecambe side who are now sixth in the table following only their second away league defeat of the season.

Harriers best chances in the first half fell to Adie Smith, who powered a header wide from a Thomas Skovberg corner, and Hadley who failed to control the ball when well placed.

The Shrimps finally penetrated Harriers rear-guard when a corner from Darren Lyons was knocked on by Paul Burns to hot-shot Justin Jackson who scored with a low close range header.

The match, however, began to take a dramatic turn when Stamps equalised with his deflected free kick.

The cheering had hardly died down before Hadley grabbed the limelight with a fiercely struck shot past keeper Andy Banks.

The drama continued a minute later when Morecambe were awarded a penalty when Smith fouled Jackson.

Jackson stepped up to take the spot kick but Clarke chose the right way to dive to set the scene for some tense moments before Harriers finally sealed three priceless points.

The value of Kidderminster's victory was increased when they learned that title rivals Yeovil, Kingstonian and Stevengage all lost and Rushden & Diamonds could only draw.