Dartford 1, Harriers 2

MARVIN Johnson bagged a brace as Harriers recovered from a disastrous start to beat Dartford on Sunday.

Kidderminster were trailing after 45 seconds when Ryan Hayes' corner went straight in.

But Johnson scored in the 79th and 85th minutes to seal a fine fight back and move Kidderminster in the play-off spots.

There were two changes for Harriers after their New Year's Day defeat to Forest Green.

Former Birmingham City youngster Akwasi Asante was handed his first start after several promising cameos, while Callum Gittings was restored in midfield.

Reece Styche was dropped to the bench, while Aman Verma missed out because of a back injury.

Kidderminster had lost the last two trips to Princes Park so needed a good start but conceded after 45 seconds.

Dangerman Hayes had drove down the right and forced a corner. The wideman then whipped in an effort from the right which Lewis  could not prevent from bending into the back of the net at the near post.

Stunned by the setback, the away see struggled to find their feet in the game's opening stages.

But Dartford, who are the Vanarama Conference's lowest scorers, could not turn a succession of corners and deliveries into goals as Harriers found their feet.

The hosts had two chances in quick succession in the 19th and 20th minutes respectively.

First, striker Tom Bradbrook headed a good cross from Hayes wide.

Lewis then did well to push Hayes wide as he cut in from the left and then got the faintest of touches to divert the Dartford man's effort across the face of goal.

 Johnson had Kidderminster's best effort when he lashed in a shot which keeper Deren Ibrahim was equal to.

Jack Byrne then flicked a difficult header away as the visitors cranked up the pressure.

But despite their best efforts, Harriers struggled to open up their doughty opponents.

At the other end of the pitch, Gittings screwed a hopeful long range effort off target.

Dartford's new signing Nathan Green, making his debut, flashed a left-footed effort across the face of goal.

Six minutes into the second half, Harriers forced a corner but Jordan Tunnicliffe headed wide at the far post.

The away side were struggling to really keep hold of the ball in the opposition third and in an effort to pep up their forward line, made their first change in the 57th minute when Jamie Spencer replaced Reid.

Johnson then tested keeper Ibrahim with a left-footed drive from 20-yards but the keeper got behind it well.

The winger asked more questions of the home defence in the 70th minute with a testing right wing cross, which forced Matt Mitchell-King to head behind his own goal for a corner.

Harriers were pressing hard for a leveller and Spencer was unlucky not to open his account for Harriers when his deft header was tipped onto the bar by Ibrahim in the 76th minute.

But the breakthrough was finally made in the 79th minute when Johnson raced down the right, beating the offside trap, and bypassed Ibrahim with an emphatic flicked finish.

He then put the Reds in front in the 85th minute. Good build-up play by Byrne and Spencer set up the wideman, who slotted a left-footed shot into the back of the net.

Dartford hit back and Lewis had to punch a good header from Mitchell-King away as the Reds responded well to back-to-back defeats.

Harriers: Lewis, Hodgkiss, Storer, Byrne, Johnson (Styche, 89), Reid (Spencer, 57), Grimes, Gittings, Tunnicliffe, Nicholson, Asante (Green, 78).

Subs not used: Obeng, Maxwell.

Dartford: Ibrahim, McAuley, E Bradbrook, Cornhill, Hayes, Green, Mitchell-King, Crawford (Noble, 77), Driver, Burns, T Bradbrook (Harris, 65).

Subs not used: Daley, Collier, Sweeney.

Referee: Daniel Cook.

Attendance: 902