Cambridge United's six-game winning streak was ended at Aggborough, mainly by a linesman's decision to allow an offside goal but also by a combination of the woodwork and another superb display of the goalkeeper's art by Scott Bevan, who also kept United at bay in the same fixture last season.

Both sides hit the woodwork in the first half while Leo Fortune-West and and Darryl Knights spurned good chances for United and Bevan turned Rob Wolleaston's goalbound shot against the post on the stroke of half-time.

The Kiddy keeper had to be on top form after the break to stop a host of United shots, while the officials gifted the decisive goal to the home side on the hour when Iyseden Christie's shot from an offside position was allowed to count, and despite battering Kidderminster for almost the entire second half United came away empty-handed.

"I've got nothing but praise for my players, we did everything but put the ball in the net," said Jimmy Quinn afterwards. "I'm very proud of the players and I'm proud of the fans; they can see how much effort we put in and we dominated proceedings and didn't get our rewards for it.

"This seems to be a bit of a bogey ground for us. The same thing happened last year when we lost 1-0 and we had all the chances but couldn't score, and again their keeper had an inspired performance. But that's probably the best we've played for a few games so it evens itself out.

"It's a moral victory because of the way we dominated play and passed the ball," he added. "We created a lot of chances without actually putting it in the net, so I'm very proud of the players and the way they performed.

"We totally played them off the park - their manager has just admitted that. He said to me that we've got a good side and I said 'I know we have', but good luck to them. Football is a cruel game sometimes."

The U's manager was in no doubt at all that the goal was offside and commented, "I thought the first ball was offside too from where I was. You can't ask officials to get everything right but you'd think they would get right an important decision like that.

"It's a travesty really, because I feel if he'd got that decision right then we would have gone on to win the game, but the goal obviously lifted their team and gave them a bit of inspiration and confidence. But they were hanging on - we had all the play and created a lot of chances, and on another day if we play that well I'm sure we'll win plenty of games.

"They were putting bodies in the way and it just needed somebody to be clinical when they got a chance and just show a bit of composure, but a lot of it was snatched and it just wouldn't go in the net. It was one of those games but good luck to Kidderminster - they've got the three points but it's a moral victory for us."

Quinn concluded, "I'll take all the positives out of that game. I'm sure the fans will be disappointed with the result but pleased with the performance, and what we've got to do now is just feed on the confidence side of things. I've told the lads I haven't got any complaints about that tonight and if we play like that every game we're more than a match for anybody in this division.

"One or two of them had their heads down, and we're a bit disappointed on the goal because one of our lads stayed in a little bit so he got a bit of stick, but it's important for me that when you play that well you don't criticise the players too much, which we haven't because they played magnificent. The only thing they didn't do is put the ball in the net."

United are next in action at home to King's Lynn in the FA Trophy first round tie on Saturday 15th December at 3pm.

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