Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: damp after heavy rain
Goal: Christie 59'

Both sides were denied by the woodwork before the break and after Kidderminster took the lead with an offside goal their goalkeeper Scott Bevan was again their hero with a string of outstanding saves to keep United at bay.

Jimmy Quinn made three changes to the side that knocked Weymouth out of the FA Cup on Saturday, calling up Leo Fortune-West and Darryl Knights in place of Lee Boylan and Courtney Pitt, and handing centre half Josh Coulson his first start in place of Michael Morrison, who is currently stalling over a new contract offer.

Mark Yates made one change to the side knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend, calling up striker Iyseden Christie in place of Dean Bennett who has returned to Chester City at the end of his loan.

Kicking off after a late inspection of the Aggborough pitch following heavy rain all afternoon, the home side threatened inside 90 seconds when Ferrell's corner was flicked on for defender Mark Creighton, who crashed a header against the bar.

The slippery conditions made it hard for either side to string passes together and Dan Gleeson launched a cross out of play in the ninth minute, but the home side tested Danny Potter two minutes later when Ferrell got on the end of a move down the right to drive a low ball goalwards from the edge of the area.

In the disjointed but mainly one-way traffic, Mark Peters cleared a Kidderminster corner soon afterwards but the early pace had dropped and in a subdued atmosphere Stephen Reed collected the first booking of the game by blocking Penn's run.

Youngsters Coulson and Knights caught the eye with a good interception and a promising run down the right respectively, but Knights' cross-shot was too far ahead of United's front two and easy for Bevan to pluck from the air.

However United were getting into the game and when Fortune-West was felled in the 19th minute the free kick was touched to Gavin Hoyte whose trademark powerful drive was bravely charged down by Hurren. Good work by Fortune-West a minute later earned a corner, but the big striker seemed to slip in the area as he tried to turn onto the flick-on and his shot flew over the bar.

A slick U's move in the 25th minute carved Kidderminster open when the ball moved quickly from Scott Rendell to Rob Wolleaston to Reed who slid the ball inside to Darryl Knights, but the youngster spurned the chance for his first league goal with a shot that missed by an inch and nestled into the side-netting.

A minute later Wolleaston drilled a shot wide of the far post from 25 yards, and the ball was in the Kidderminster net on the half hour when Rendell met Gleeson's raking cross and touched the ball into the net but was adjudged to have fouled a defender on the way.

Carden and Gleeson both had crosses cleared in the next few minutes while Ferrell got his angles wrong in the 35th minute and drove a cross-shot over the bar from the left. Coulson did well in the 40th minute when Christie beat Hoyte to deliver a dangerous cross to the far post, and the teenager making his first start dived at full-stretch to head the ball wide of the post, beating Penn to the ball by inches.

Hurren headed the resulting corner over the bar and Rob Wolleaston came closest yet to scoring two minutes later when he started a move on the wide left then moved inside to meet Knights' return pass before driving a low shot from the edge of the area that the giant Bevan just managed to touch against the foot of the post.

United had ended the half much stronger than they started, but the half-time whistle brought things to a pause balanced at 0-0.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"An acceptable half for United after a slow start in difficult conditions. United had the best of it, just, but may not have the best of the conditions after the break."

Second half:
United started brightly and Reed forced a save from Bevan inside 90 seconds, then went agonisingly close on 49 following a counterattack when a Kidderminster move broke down. Hurren's cross was cleared by Peters and Wolleaston linked well with Knights at pace down the left before driving a low 18-yarder inches wide of the far post.

Knights was causing problems by using the space behind the front two and he and Reed both had crosses cleared before Fortune-West used his strength to make space for a cross and forced a save from Bevan on 54.

Kidderminster forced a corner a minute later and Russell's shot was saved by Potter, and on 58 Knights slid into a rash challenge on Bignot and joined Reed in Mr Mullarkey's book.

The free kick proved costly because it led to the home side taking the lead against the run of play when Justin Richards controlled the ball on the edge of the area, then slipped it to Iyseden Christie in an offside position to plant the ball beyond Potter.

United's protests were ignored but they were straight onto the offensive again and Fortune-West fired over the bar from 18 yards out on the right, then Carden worked his way forward to deliver a cross that was headed away with Rendell closing in and Fortune-West again fired over from the edge of the area.

United kept the pressure on with a Rendell drive blocked behind for a Reed corner that Ferrell headed away, and on 64 Fortune-West controlled Wolleaston's cross on his chest with his back to goal but turned to fire narrowly wide.

Dan Gleeson lofted a long range shot over the bar from wide, and with 20 minutes remaining Jimmy Quinn sent on the fresh legs of Lee Boylan for Fortune-West.

Almost immediately Reed got on the end of Carden's cross 25 yards out and drove a powerful shot over the bar, then on 73 Rendell worked the ball to Boylan whose shot was parried almost on the line by Bevan who also blocked the point-black follow-up by Peters and as the ball bobbled along the line it was scrambled away by Bignot. Still play continued and United threw bodies at the ball but somehow the Kidderminster defence cleared it.

Moments later Rendell's cross was cleared behind, United's short corner was worked to Knights whose shot was punched away by the keeper as far as Peters, whose turn and volley dipped onto the bar, rebounding to eventually be scrambled away.

Play was breathless at this stage and United's football was at times superb. Gleeson advanced and had a cross punched away by Bevan, and on a rare Kidderminster attack Richards fired wide at the other end.

Both managers made changes on 77, Kidderminster's Brian Smikle coming on for Simon Russell while at the same time U's youngster Robbie Willmott came on for Knights and took up a similar role behind the front two.

United continued to pepper the Kidderminster goal and Bevan tipped a Rendell shot over, then Wolleaston played a one-two with Willmott but saw his shot turned behind by the giant keeper, and Peters' header from the corner looped onto the roof of the net.

With nine minutes left Reed cut inside to draw a save from Bevan, Hoyte had a cross saved, and Willmott's sheer persistence earned in the 85th minute that was again met by Peters with a header that was blocked. United were camped on the six yard line but somehow the Kidderminster goal remained intact.

United's final throw of the dice came on 86 when Courtney Pitt replaced Reed and almost immediately he showed quick feet to keep the ball in play before crossing towards Hoyte who was denied by a brave clearance. A minute later Pitt outpaced Blackwood and cut inside along the edge of the area but lifted the ball over from a central position.

With the clock ticking towards full-time, Mark Peters joined the attack as an auxiliary striker and the balance of the game was summed up when goalkeeper Scott Bevan was announced as the man of the match.

Entering stoppage time, Wolleaston released Pitt down the right but his cross was headed away at full-stretch by Creighton and the move was repeated twice more, both times a Kidderminster player getting a desperate head to the ball.

Mark Yates made one more change to bring on Matthew Barnes-Homer for Richards, who meandered slowly off the pitch, and in a last-gasp move Pitt was knocked off the ball for a free kick but Carden's delivery was too close to the ubiquitous Bevan and his goal kick was the signal for the final whistle.

In the draw for the fourth round of the Setanta Shield, which was made immediately following tonight's Setanta-televised game, United were drawn at home to Rushden & Diamonds. The match will be played on Saturday 22nd December.

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Josh Coulson, Mark Peters, Gavin Hoyte; Dan Gleeson, Rob Wolleaston, Paul Carden, Stephen Reed (Courtney Pitt 85'), Darryl Knights (Robbie Willmott 77'); Scott Rendell, Leo Fortune-West (Lee Boylan 69').
Subs not used: Michael Morrison, Mark Convery.

Booked: Reed 17' (foul), Knights 58' (foul)

Kidderminster Harriers:
Scott Bevan, Paul Bignot, Stuart Whitehead (c), Mark Creighton,Michael Blackwood; Simon Russell (Brian Smikle 76'), Gavin Hurren, Russell Penn, Andy Ferrell; Justin Richards (Matthew Barnes-Homer 90'), Iyseden Christie.
Subs not used: Dean Coleman, Jonny Harkness, Michael McGrath.

Referee: Mr Mike Mullarkey

Att: 1,314 (away 134)

Mark Johnson's Match Summary:
"United slipped to a second defeat of the season in difficult conditions but the bare scoreline doesn't begin to tell the story of the game. United simply battered the home side and did everything but score, but fell behind on the hour to a goal with more than a suspicion of offside about it. The U's haven't won at Kidderminster since 1959 and on days like this you can see why. Their goal led a charmed life, particularly after the break when a string of unbelievable scrambles preserved Kidderminster's lead. United have played worse and won; today was simply not their day."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Josh Coulson - a more than solid first start for the youngster, he was assured in defence and cultured going forward. Honourable mentions for everyone apart from Danny Potter, simply because he barely had to touch the ball in a very good team performance."

Ref: Mr Mullarkey - generally OK, although he wasn't helped by his poor linesmen. 7/10."

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