KIDDERMINSTER Harriers’ Russ Penn’s brace shot down big-spending Rushden and Diamonds at Aggborough on Saturday.

Two well-timed strikes made sure Harriers came from beh-ind to blunt the Diamonds’ promotion charge.

The midfielder, who has caught the eye of League One side Walsall, showed his quality with his best display of the season — two days before the close of the transfer window.

Harriers produced a fine battling display to keep an imp-ressive Rushden side at bay.

Manager Mark Yates made one change to the side that picked up four points during the Bank Holiday weekend, replacing David McDermott on the left wing with Brian Smikle.

In contrast, Rushden manager Garry Hill had to make at least two alterations because Lee Tomlin and Curtis Wood-house were suspended after being sent off against Histon last weekend.

Rushden started stronger and, after Dean McDonald and Curtis Osano went close they opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

McDonald collected Andy Burgess’ pin-point pass and saw his shot from the edge of the area take a wicked deflection off Andy Ferrell to leave keeper Adam Bartlett powerless to stop it.

But the spirited hosts levelled the scores three minutes later as Penn headed in Martin Brittain’s cross.

In the second half, Mark Creighton saw a bullet header saved by keeper Alan Marriott but it was Rushden who piled the pressure on the hosts.

Harriers defended doggedly and Bartlett made a fine reaction save to deny striker Leon Knight in the 69th minute.

Penn fired Harriers ahead in the 79th minute when Creigh-ton knocked Ferrell’s throw-in to him in the box.

The hosts had to defend manfully but survived a tense five minutes of injury-time to ensure all three points.

Harriers: Bartlett, Baker, Ferrell, Creighton (capt), Jones, Barnes-Homer (Bennett 80), Penn Richards, Smikle, Brittain 8 (McDermott 90+2), Lowe.