U's:2 Kiddy:1

I may have mentioned before that, much to my chagrin, my better half is a lot better at predicting football matches than me. So last nights result should have come as no surprise given that she told me earlier in the week that "we're going to beat them 2-0 or 2-1, this hoodoo thing is a load of rubbish."

To be fair the record never looked likely to survive another 90 minutes, as United were good value for this win and dominated proceedings throughout against a hardworking but limited visiting side.

The early stages saw the visitors enjoy a prolonged spell of possession, with little Darryl Knights pulling the strings from his position 'in the hole'.

Despite this it was Felino Jardim who registered the first shot on target, cutting in from the left in the seventh minute but seeing a tame shot easily saved by Adam Bartlett.

It was clear from the off that the Brabinator had done his homework, and intended to utilise the pace of Jardim and Robbie Willmott, in for the injured Andy Parkinson, as often as possible, with the wingers pushing high up the pitch to exploit the space left by Harriers narrow 4-3-3 formation.

And after weathering the early storm United began to create chances at regular intervals. Bartlett flapped at a cross under pressure from Lee McEvilly but Wilmott and Jardim between them were unable to force the ball home. Then some delightful skill from Willmott led to a corner which saw the England C stopper make a good save from McEvilly’s header.

It was no surprise when United hit the front in the 27th minute. Jon Challinor picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and played a perfectly weighted reverse pass to Beesley. His angled shot was parried by Bartlett, leaving McEvilly with the simple task and slotting home the rebound.

Kidderminster came close to an immediate equaliser when Andy Ferrell’s shot deflected off the heels of Phil Bolland, presenting a good chance to Simon Russell, but Danny Potter was out quickly to save at his feet. For the most part the visitors were unable to penetrate United’s backline, as the supply to Knights and the other front men dried up and Hatswell and Bolland easily mopped up a string of high balls.

But you always felt a second goal was needed to be certain, and it duly arrived in the 60th minute. Again the busy Challinor was the instigator, releasing Jardim, whose superb cross left the unmarked McEvilly with the simple task of nodding the ball in from close range.

Just before this referee Halliday, whose interesting interpretation of the advantage rule disrupted the match at regular intervals, turned down a fairly clear cut looking penalty when Luke Jones appeared to handle Jardim’s cross. He then incensed the home crowd further by booking Challinor for time wasting as he wound up for a long throw, then showing a yellow card to Jardim for a sliding challenge on Bowler where the winger appeared to play the ball. The sad thing is we'll probably see officials a lot worse than him before the season's out.

The visitors continued to huff and puff, and although Justin Richards provided a willing, ungamely, fulcrum for their attacking play, they struggled to turn possession into chances, and Andy Ferrell summed up his sides night by firing a shot from the edge of the box high into the south stand.

Beesley headed a Tonkin cross narrowly wide before Kiddy pulled a goal back at the death. Following a corner, the ball ran to David McDermott, who trundled a shot across the box which Richards turned in from close range. But it came too late to deny United a landmark victory. Hoodoo smoodoo, I never did believe any of that superstitious nonsense.


Man of the Match: Felino Jardim - The Dutchman makes the game look so easy, and the cross for Evil's second goal was sublime.

Pointless new ritual of the Match: The Champions League-esque pre-match handshakes. Whoever thought this up clearly has too much time on their hands.