Saturday, March 15, 2003

IT was hardly a cunning plan but it was executed with too much grit and determination for Cambridge United, as Kidderminster Harriers boosted their Third Division play-off hopes with a 2-0 away win.

Robbed of 18-goal top scorer Bo Henriksen, who strained a hamstring in training, Harriers set out to contain, frustrate and attack on the break.

As manager Ian Britton said, they did it "very professionally," dominating the match at the Abbey Stadium to such an extent that goalkeeper Fraser Digby did not have a real save to make all afternoon from a 49 goals strike-force.

And when the home side ran out of the few ideas they had, Harriers hit them with a double strike in six minutes midway through the second half.

John Melligan intercepted a poor clearance by goalkeeper Shaun Marshall in the 66th minute, finding Andy Bishop whose shot flew into the air off centre back Stev Angus.

Melligan, following up, sent a looping header inside the right-hand post, delighting any fans who had backed him at a generous 16-1 to score the first goal.

The second came from a straightforward free-kick by Sean Flynn which dropped to the far post where big defender Wes Morgan outjumped the home defence to ram a header under the crossbar.

Cambridge threw everything into a bid to get back into the game, but were blocked by doughty defending from Morgan, Craig Hinton and Dion Scott.

It took Cambridge until the 88th minute to threaten a goal, but when 21-goal top scorer Dave Kitson took the ball past the keeper, Scott stopped him with a crunching challenge.

"We had a game plan which we worked out after Bo was injured," said Britton," and it went perfectly.

"Cambridge are one of the most dangerous attacking teams in the division, but we just didn't give them any room.

"We have been a bit up and down at times, but this performance gave us any extra dimension. We showed we can play with great discipline, and we are right up there in the promotion race."

Harriers' defence was tested by seven Cambridge corners in the first half, but none of them produced any danger for Digby. And it could have been a bigger win, with Bishop forcing good saves from Marshall twice in five minutes just before the first goal.