Misfiring United's stuttering form continued with this defeat - only the second home defeat of the season but the fourth game in a row without a win.

Jimmy Quinn made four changes to the side beaten at Ebbsfleet on Monday, with Alex McCarthy, Mark Peters, Paul Carden and Stephen Reed replacing suspended pair Danny Potter and Mark Albrighton, Dan Gleeson (injured) and Lee Boylan (bench).

The changes meant a change in formation to 4-4-2 with Michael Morrison and Wayne Hatswell in the fullback positions and Rob Wolleaston and Courtney Pitt on the wings, with Paul Carden making a welcome return in the centre after missing Monday's defeat as a precaution with a tight hamstring.

Kidderminster manager Mark Yates made two changes to the side that won 4-0 at Crawley on Thursday evening, calling up goalkeeper Dean Coleman and defender Paul Bignot in place of the injured Chris MacKenzie and Jeff Kenna. Yates' side included former U's loanee Darryl Knights who had a spell on loan at the Abbey from Yeovil earlier in the season.

Debutant goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, here on work experience from Reading to deputise for the suspended Danny Potter, got an early first touch of the ball with a long goal kick as the game went ahead following a morning pitch inspection, and Stephen Reed had a free kick cleared inside the first minute after Penn brought down Pitt.

Carden marked his return with a thunderous tackle to win the ball and launch a third minute counterattack as Wayne Hatswell overlapped down the left and delivered a cross just too high for Magno Vieira, and on 8 Vieira raced onto a through ball and picked out strike partner Jack Jeffery in the area, the teenager twisting and turning as he was closed down before eventually having a shot cleared behind.

Both teams were working hard and producing attacking football on the heavily sanded surface as rain began to fall, and United's new-look front pair Vieira and Jeffery looked dangerous with their lively interplay as both men sought their first U's goals.

Harriers midfielder Dean Bennett lashed a 35-yarder wide in the 14th minute as the teams continued to probe and test each other, four minutes later the visitors failed to pick out an alert run by Iyseden Christie, and at the other end Vieira was brought down by Jeannin and Reed's free kick was plucked from the air by Harriers' keeper Coleman.

The visitors were looking stronger now and Christie threatened again on 21 when he raced into the area and volleyed over the bar, and Knights drew a comfortable save from McCarthy in the 26th minute after lifting a free kick over the wall. The young Reading keeper was called upon again a minute later when Penn was allowed to advance through the middle and was being forced to the right of the area when McCarthy smothered the danger.

But United fell behind within a minute when they were caught out by a long ball forward and a good finish, Christie nodding the ball on for Matthew Barnes-Homer who beat Peters and slid the ball under McCarthy as he advanced off his line.

Hatswell blocked a Knights shot soon after the goal, Vieira caused problems at the other end when he beat Hurren and cut into the area but couldn't pick out Jeffery's run, while Wolleaston had a 25-yard drive claimed by Coleman.

On 35 Coleman fumbled the ball as Carden crossed a free kick into the area, forcing goalscorer Barnes-Homer to hack the ball away, and a minute later Josh Coulson thought he had scored his first goal as he met a Hatswell free kick and fired the ball into the net but it was disallowed due to Vieira's pushing in the area.

Good interplay between United's two front men saw Jeffery curl a shot beyond the far post in the 38th minute, but with sounds of discontent rumbling around the home stands four minutes later the visitors almost created a similar goal to their opener as Christie raced onto a simple ball over the top but lifted it over the bar from inside the area.

Two minutes before the break Courtney Pit did well to hold off Hurren as they wrestled their way into the area, the little winger somehow getting a shot away that Coleman pushed onto the post and away, and in stoppage time Stephen Reed saw his long-range effort parried, his follow-up fumbled by the keeper, and although Peters followed in he couldn't force the ball home.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A below-par half for the U's who too often left the front two isolated. No blame on the goalkeeper for the goal; his defence left him cruelly exposed. A wake-up call is needed at half-time."

Second half:
United started well and the front two again were full of running and effort but struggled against the big Kidderminster defenders, and the frustration continued when United won a free kick three minutes into the half but Hatswell's blaster was blocked by the wall.

Vieira drove a shot across the face of goal and wide in the 49th minute, and with the midfield flooding forward two minutes later Wolleaston advanced into the area but was closed down quickly and put the ball wide.

Courtney Pitt seized upon indecision in the Kidderminster defence on 52 and danced into the area but Coleman was out quickly to claim the ball, and two minutes later Pitt cut inside and fired inches wide of the far post with his left foot.

Mark Yates responded to United's increased pressure by withdrawing Russell and Knights and sending on Andrew Ferrell and Brian Smikle, while Jimmy Quinn sent on teenage forward Robbie Willmott for defender Michael Morrison and reverted to a back three.

United went close in the 59th minute when a good move down the left saw Paul Carden's cross-shot blocked by Hurren, the ball falling for Vieira whose shot on the turn was saved. Two minutes later the Brazilian made way for Lee Boylan, who was welcomed onto the pitch with warm applause.

Almost immediately United won a free kick when Jeffery proved too fast for Creighton and was hauled down, but Wolleaston's free kick was claimed by Coleman, and on 64 Alex Jeannin dallied over a throw-in and was booked for timewasting.

Stephen Reed drove a powerful shot inches wide from the edge of the area after being set up by Wolleaston in the 65th minute, but three minutes later Kidderminster scored again when Peters missed a challenge just outside the area and Smikle seized possession, advancing and drawing the defence before sliding the ball to Barnes-Homer to double their lead. Smikle was subsequently booked for overcelebrating in front of the away fans.

Almost from the re-start the Kidderminster defence opened up before Rob Wolleaston but he lifted the ball over the Newmarket Road stand, and with 20 minutes remaining Mark Yates withdrew goalscorer Barnes-Homer and sent on midfielder Michael McGrath.

United were still finding it almost impossible to test the visiting goalkeeper and when Hatswell's cross was blocked as far as Jeffery moments later the teenager fired into the ground, then made way two minutes later for Mark Beesley.

Still the chances arrived and still United couldn't get the ball in the net; Boylan heading over the bar on 75 following a Pitt free kick, then Hatswell seeing his 20-yard drive saved by Coleman.

McCarthy made a smart save from McGrath's volley on 78 before Wolleaston had two further chances inside a minute, first driving well wide with Boylan haring into space on the far side of the area, then seeing his first time shot saved after some good build-up play.

A minute later Stephen Reed's 18-yarder was deflected for a corner, which was punched away by Coleman and bounced around the area before United eventually earned a second fortunate corner, this time Coleman missing Carden's flagkick but Hatswell's downward header bounced up and over the bar.

After that flurry of chances, Kidderminster escaped up the other end and promptly extended their lead with five minutes remaining.

Brian Smikle raced through on goal and was brought down by Hatswell in the area, and although he regained his feet to put the ball in the net, play was called back and a penalty awarded. Hatswell was shown the yellow card and Iyseden Christie slotted the ball past the unfortunate McCarthy, and Christie and Paul Carden were both booked for some pushing and shoving in the wake of the goal.

With home fans streaming for the exits, Mark Beesley had a shot blocked in the area seconds after the re-start and Stephen Reed showed his brimming frustration with a foul on Penn as both sides battled to regain possession, earning United's third yellow card in as many minutes.

Reed then had a powerful drive blocked behind for another U's corner, and in stoppage time Carden burst forward to draw a meaningful save from Coleman as he tipped the midfielder's long-range drove over the bar. Yet another corner amounted to nothing for United, who haven't beaten Kidderminster since September 1959 in the old Southern League, and the final whistle ensured that that record will continue.

Cambridge United:
Alex McCarthy, Michael Morrison (Robbie Willmott 56'), Josh Coulson, Mark Peters, Wayne Hatswell (c); Rob Wolleaston, Paul Carden, Stephen Reed, Courtney Pitt; Jack Jeffery (Mark Beesley 75'), Magno Vieira (Lee Boylan 62').
Subs not used: Danny Brown, Sam Cutler.

Booked: Hatswell foul 85', Carden unsporting behaviour 86', Reed foul 87'

Kidderminster Harriers:
Dean Coleman, Paul Bignot, Gavin Hurren, Mark Creighton (c), Alex Jeannin; Simon Russell (Andrew Ferrell 56'), Russell Penn, Dean Bennett, Darryl Knights (Brian Smikle 56'); Iyseden Christie, Matthew Barnes-Homer (Michael McGrath 70').
Subs not used: Michael Wylde, Jake Moult.

Booked: Jeannin timewasting 64', Smikle unsporting behaviour 68', Christie unsporting behaviour 86'

Referee: Mr Andrew Halliday

Att: 3,999 (away 106)

Mark Johnson's Match Summary:
"A frustrating afternoon for Cambridge United who crashed to their second home defeat of the season. United haven't beaten Kidderminster since 1959 and that record was never in danger once Matthew Barnes-Homer put the visitors ahead on the half-hour. The U's were better after the break with loads of possession and a barrage of shots but barely any efforts on target. Barnes-Homer made it two midway through the second half and Iyseden Christie wrapped it up from the spot late on. Having harboured hopes of the title not so long ago, four points from a possible eighteen leave the U's far from certain of a play-off place."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Paul Carden - a hard-working and gritty performance in the middle of the part. No honourable mentions today."

Ref: Mr Halliday - tried to let the game flow when he could, was a bit unfortunate with their third goal because he blew his whistle a bit too early but that was one of the few mistakes he made. 8 /10."

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