HARRIERS 2 CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1

THE best side seen at Aggborough this season were sent home point-less as Kidderminster Harriers flew into the top three.

Harriers' third home win continued a slow but sure rise up the Division Three table.

The competition's top scorers Cambridge United showed what they could do during periods of the first half.

But Harriers again looked more than comfortable when holding onto a narrow lead, as seen at Shrewsbury the previous week.

They really are starting to appear a good bet for promotion and who could genuinely have predicted that at the start of the season?

Boss Ian Britton, though not afraid to tinker with the formation, has settled into a 3-5-2 system that is suiting the vast majority of the players.

And one of Britton's own signings, John Melligan, was the key man against a team relegated from Division Two last season.

On-loan midfielder Melligan's clinical finishing, mixed with another hard-working display from everyone, was enough.

Harriers were without injured defenders Adie Smith and Scott Stamps but big Abdou Sall was on the bench after a two-month absence.

The home side made the perfect start on three minutes when Drewe Broughton found Bo Henriksen and his perfect pass across the face of goal was lashed home lethally from 12 yards by Melligan.

The difficult task was always going to be keeping Cambridge out despite Harriers' impressive defensive record.

And so it proved when Alex Tudor's 20-yard shot was parried by keeper Stuart Brock for top scorer Dave Kitson to pounce from close range.

Cambridge had equalised within just five minutes and could have leapt ahead when Craig Hinton slipped to let in Tom Youngs only for Brock to parry.

But the visitors' inexperienced defence was always exposed as proved when Dean Bennett swapped passes with Melligan to burst through.

Keeper Shaun Marshall trapped the midfielder's low shot between his legs and the end-to-end clash continued at breakneck speed.

The pacey Omer Riza lifted a dipping shot wide on 18 minutes and then Kitson turned brilliantly on the edge of the box to rifle over.

But Harriers began to gain the measure of their opponents and deserved their half-time lead.

Broughton narrowly failed to grab his first goal of the season on 24 minutes as Cambridge scrambled clear Henriksen's half-saved shot.

But the big front-man kept the defence busy on 27 minutes as Sam Shilton's left-wing cross dropped for Melligan to execute a brilliant top-corner volleyed finish.

Skipper Sean Flynn should have added a third before half-time but headed another excellent Shilton assist wide at the far post.

The second half had to calm down and it did though Henriksen took too long over a good chance on 52 minutes.

Cambridge were generally stifled by Harriers with Tudor back-heading wide and sub Daniel Chillingworth firing a free-kick straight at Brock.

One of Harriers replacements, Ian Foster, clipped the top of the bar with a cross-shot on 82 minutes after more good work from Broughton.

But Cambridge could have had the final say only for Brock to calmly collect an Adam Tann effort and then acrobatically turn Warren Goodhind's header past the post.

Brock has made some crucial saves in recent weeks and his late stop ensured Harriers deservedly claimed their third win in a row.

HARRIERS: Brock 7; Coleman 7, Ayres 7, Hinton 7; Bennett 7, MELLIGAN 9, Williams 7 (Parrish 67, 6), Flynn 7, Shilton 8; Broughton 8, Henriksen 8 (Foster 79). Subs: Sall, Danby, Joy.

CAMBRIDGE: Marshall; Goodhind, Tann, Angus, Jordan (Chillingworth 70); Tudor, Guttridge (Wanless 87), Fleming, Youngs (Nacca 46); Riza, Kitson. Subs: Brennan, Duncan.

ATTENDANCE: 2,779.

SHOTS ON: Harriers 6, United 7.

SHOTS OFF: Harriers 5, United 7.

CORNERS: Harriers 6, United 6.

GOALS: Melligan 1, Kitson 8, Melligan 27.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 0, United 2 (Fleming, Kitson).

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: John Melligan. A brilliant attacking midfield display from the young on-loan star. Melligan's finishing was superb for his two goals and he was all over the pitch. A key role as Harriers won the midfield battle.