HARRIERS’ fine form under Phil Brown continued as they picked up a sixth league win in eight with a 1-0 success at play-off chasing Solihull Moors.

Jack Lambert’s second goal of the season heled the happy travellers on their way to a victory that saw them move to within goal difference of escaping the National League drop zone.

The visitors made just a single change to their starting eleven for what was a chilly night at the ARMCO Arena, skipper Shane Byrne ruled out for the clash as a result of the hamstring injury picked up in the 2-1 win at Oldham the previous Saturday.

His place in the side was taken by Regan Griffiths, while recent loanee pair Todd Miller and Cole Kpekawa were handed berths on the substitutes’ bench.

As with the Oldham clash, Harriers were quicker out of the blocks in this one and went within the proverbial coat of paint of an opener with just three minutes played. Ashley Hemmings stepped up to a 20-yard free kick and struck it well, the ball thumping off the top of the bar and into the path of Sam Bellis who would only skew his follow up wide of the target.

Chances flowed quite freely in what was an open contest on a slick surface. Solihull went close with eight played when front man Mark Beck nodded a header over the bar, Jack Lambert then seeing an instinctive effort clawed away by Nick Hayes at the other end.

Zak Brown was well placed with 25 on the clock to meet a swinging Lamber corner, but his volley ballooned high over the target before a brace of home chances saw Tahvon Campbell strike wide and Matty Warburton spurn a gilt-edge chance in hitting over from inside the six-yard box.

Sights of goal came the way of Lambert and Caleb Richards before the break, and the former made absolutely no mistake in netting just four after the restart, twisting superbly midway through the Moors have before driving and unleashing a drive that Hayes couldn’t stop from finding his net.

The hosts responded well and almost levelled instantly when the ball fell to Tyrese Shade, but Christian Dibble was equal to his effort and blocked it away with an instinctive save.

Barring one late block, that was the sum total of the home side’s attacking thrust as Harriers dug in deep and showed tremendous resolve and composure.

There was still late drama, though. In added time, debutant Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, off the bench, threaded Hemmings through on goal who took aim with a drive across goal that crashed wide.

Tensions were heightened further in the latter of eight of added minutes at the end of the game when Krystian Pearce was shown a second yellow card for a foul, earning him a red, but his team mates held on.

Harriers are once again on the road this weekend as they trek to Surrey to take on Woking in another crunch clash near the bottom of the National League.