Iyseden Christie's second goal of the season was enough to stop the run of a rampant Cambridge United side at Aggborough, handing Mark Yates' side a vital three points.
Many will no doubt feel that Scott Bevan's goal led something of a charmed life in the second half this evening but the fact of the matter is that Harriers tonight managed just one other side in the Blue Square Premier this season in beating United.
Whilst they were left hanging on for their win late on, the home side undoubtedly bossed the opening stages of the game. With a little over a minute on the clock Harriers went within an inch of going ahead as Mark Creighton's header thundered off the cross bar.
Continuing to look lively inside the first ten, Harriers went close both as Justin Richards burst into the area only to be crowded out by Mark Peters and youngster Mark Coulson, and when Simon Russell's trickery took him inside the area where he forced a routine save from the highly-rated Danny Potter.
The Us slowly edged themselves into the game as the first half wore on - with 23 on the clock, veteran front-man Leo Fortune-West blazed over from close range whilst Darryl Knights somehow shot wide after being put right in front of goal by Stephen Reed just before the half-hour mark.
13 minutes later as the home defence performed solidly to keep out the Cambridge attack, Iyseden Christie produced some real magic; holding up the ball for what seemed an age before firing in a perfectly-weighted ball that looked set to land crisply on the head of Penn, only for Coulson to clear first.
HARRIERS 1-0 CAMBRIDGE - Battling win for Harriers
Just three minutes later and two before the break Cambridge should really have taken the lead after Rob Wolleaston got on the end of a slick move; he shot at goal but Bevan produced a world-class save to tip the ball on to the post.
The same player was guilty of missing a similarly guilt-edged chance with the second period merely five minutes old, but after holding off the attentions of Penn he could only send his shot just wide. From there the game began to get a little scrappier but the hosts were always in it, Russell going close with a long-range drive with 56 gone.
Three minutes later the game was given its first goal - Russell's free-kick was floated in to Richards on the edge of the area, Cambridge frantically appealed for offside but as they stood static, the ball was slipped to CHRISTIE who wasted no time in firing a great finish past Potter.
GOAL: Christie slams home past Danny Potter
Replays showed that the visitors had a right to feel frustrated, but Harriers know to their own cost the importance of playing only to the whistle and nobody can deny the men from Aggborough a bit of luck - credit must go to Christie for the finish.
Past the hour mark it was end to end stuff - Fortune-West turned and shot high and wide in the area whilst Harriers had to claw the ball away from two goalmouth scrambles inside as many minutes, the home side throwing themselves in front of balls to clear.
Dan Gleeson caught a clean strike with 69 played, perhaps with better options ahead of him, it was another chance missed for the Us.
From the 76th minute Harriers had two good chances to increase their lead - Penn put in a blazing run through midfield and slipped the ball out-wide for Richards who shot just past Potter's post; Creighton then heading over from a corner after a neat flick from Christie.
In between these efforts, Rendell again found Bevan at his absolute best, the giant getting two palms to the striker's effort that was heading for the top corner.
With nobody able to put their foot through the ball for Cambridge it was possession wasted as they tried to force an equaliser late on - through their chances Bevan remained cool and calm to pick up both the sponsors and Setanta Sports Man of the Match awards.
Report Pics: EMPICS
