Harriers 1 Halifax 0

Kidderminster Harriers had to rely on an own goal to beat 10-man Halifax Town at Aggborough.

After midfielder Anthony Griffith had received his marching orders for a foul on Dean Bennett in the 13th minute, the Shaymen managed to hold out in this Blue Square Premier clash until the 71st minute when defender Cortez Belle headed into his own net.

The victory extended Harriers’ unbeaten run to four matches after a mediocre clash in which history repeated itself.

In the corresponding fixture at Aggborough last season, Mark Yates’ men also triumphed 1-0 thanks to an own goal by Ryan Toulson.

Harriers, however, made hard work of last night’s triumph against a lowly Halifax side who produced a dogged defensive performance following Griffith’s departure.

His early bath was the result of a moment of stupidity when he unnecessarily trod on Bennett when the midfielder was lying on the ground.

Kidderminster constantly pushed forward but, during the first half, failed to engineer enough on-targets efforts to seriously test goalkeeper Adam Legzdins, whose main problem in the opening period was to push over an awkward cross-shot from defender Paul Bignot.

After the interval Harriers began to conjure up more shots with Michael McGrath, Michael Blackwood and Bennett going close before Halifax’s rear-guard finally cracked.

James Constable shook off the attentions of Toulson to send over a low cross which Belle headed into his own net.

The win nudged Kidderminster into ninth spot in the table, six points away from the play-off places.

Harriers: MacKenzie; Bignot (McGrath, 46), Creighton, Whitehead, Harkness (Ferrell, 70); Penn, Hurren, Bennett, Blackwood; Richards, Constable. Subs not used: Coleman, Smikle, Barnes-Homer.

Attendance: 1,365.