HARRIERS 1 YORK 2

THE 10 men of Kidderminster Harriers looked well capable of pulling off a heroic result but their recent leaky defensive record haunted them.

Harriers have now conceded two goals in each of the last eight games and York's cruel second on Saturday arrived just four minutes from the end of normal time.

The home side had performed admirably and deserved to win after the 39th-minute sending-off of Drewe Broughton for use of elbows.

But it was not to be as Ian Britton's side slipped to their fourth 2-1 defeat in a row and they search for their first win in seven games at Wrexham this weekend.

The improvements were there against York though they again made a poor start.

York could have been ahead on just three minutes but keeper Stuart Brock parried well from Lee Nogan and Craig Hinton added a crucial clearance.

The visitors were not shaken too badly by the early loss of their skipper Chris Brass with a fractured cheekbone.

They swept ahead on 22 minutes when Michael Reddy's low cross was turned back by Peter Duffield for Stephen Brackstone to drive home from the edge of the area.

Harriers showed signs of fighting back through the impressive Andy Bishop on his home debut.

He flicked one header into the hands of keeper Alan Fettis but then blasted wastefully over from close range on 36 minutes from Dean Bennett's low cross.

The turning point of Broughton's dismissal for a challenge on Jon Parkin actually worked in Harriers' favour.

Bishop equalised within a minute when he raced onto Lee Ayres' long pass and slid the ball coolly past Fettis.

And the inspired Walsall forward was then only denied by an excellent tip-over from Fettis on 43 minutes.

Harriers adapted well to playing with 10 men in the second half, defending strongly and attacking with purpose.

John Melligan and Bennett both hit shots too close to Fettis who was otherwise indebted to his defenders.

Parkin rose from nowhere to nod Bishop's powerful header from a Melligan corner off the line on 73 minutes.

Harriers continued to push with Darren Edmondson denying Ayres' goal-bound effort on 85 minutes.

But the hard work counted for very little when Nogan stole onto substitute Tom Cowan's clever pass to lob the winner over Brock.

HARRIERS: Brock 7; Coleman 5, Ayres 6, HINTON 8; Bennett 6, Melligan 7, Flynn 7, Parrish 6, Shilton 7; Bishop 8, Broughton 4. Subs: Foster, Henriksen, Danby, Ducros, Joy.

YORK: Fettis; Parkin, Brass (Wood 8), Hobson (Cowan 76); Edmondson, Brackstone (Fox 76), Bullock, Potter; Duffield, Nogan, Reddy. Subs: Cooper, Collinson. ATTENDANCE: 2,304.

SHOTS ON: Harriers 8, York 6.

SHOTS OFF: Harriers 12, York 1.

CORNERS: Harriers 6, York 8.

GOALS: Brackstone 22, Bishop 40, Nogan 86.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 3 (Ayres, Bishop, Coleman), York 5 (Bullock, Wood, Cowan, Fox, Reddy).

RED CARDS: Harriers 1 (Broughton), York 0.

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: Craig Hinton. Often saved his fellow defenders with vital blocks and tackles.