Harriers dug in deep to extend their unbeaten league run to six matches with a deserved 1-0 win at promotion chasing Curzon Ashton.

Phil Brown went into the match making one change to his starting eleven from the 2-2 draw with Buxton at Aggborough the prior Saturday; Joe Foulkes came straight back into the side after serving a one-match suspension, Maliq Cadogan dropping to the bench, where there was also a place for striker Ben Beresford who featured in the 16 for the first time since picking up a hamstring injury back in August.

A lively Harriers and a Curzon side thumped in the FA Cup at the hands of Mansfield at the weekend both flew out of the traps. Within a minute there was a chance at either end, Ashley Hemmings slicing wide with a snap shot before, at the other end, accomplished striker Jimmy Spencer took aim and also struck wide.

Harriers and Hemmings took just five further minutes to find the breakthrough. Reece Devine supplied the ammunition for the Aggborough favourite, a dangerous ball dropping on to Hemmings head and finding the net via the inside of the post.

The visitors almost doubled their lead midway through the first half. A ball in was nodded down 20 yards from goal where David Davis took it down nicely before striking over the target with a firm effort.

Four minutes later, Spencer shook off the attentions of Foulkes before firing ide again, a deflected Zak Brown effort then looping into the arms of home goalkeeper Bobby Jones, the sting taken out of it.

On the stroke of half time came Curzon’s best chance of the 45, good awareness shown by Isaac Sinclair who curled a low effort beyond the dive of Dibble and, crucially for Harriers, his upright.

Early in the second half, Amari Morgan-Smith turned in the area and shaped to shoot, six yards out, before seemingly being brought down by Devon Matthews, though match referee Shaun Taylor waved away Harriers penalty appeals.

Spencer again had sight of goal after the hour and drove the ball at Dibble who saved well, before Hemmings went for the audacious on the edge of the Curzon area with an angled effort that dropped just wide of the far post as it fizzed across the target.

With 77 played, Curzon went close again to a leveller when a peach of a delivery found Adam Barton inside the area, his looping header rising and bouncing down on the bar before being cleared.

Harriers withstood plenty of pressure from the hosts in the second half but, crucially, without the concession of too many clear-cut chances. One of them did arrive four minutes into added time, but Isaac Buckley-Ricketts smashed high over the angle of bar and post when rushing to meet a ball into the six-yard box.

Harriers are back in National League North action on Saturday when Farsley Celtic visit Aggborough Stadium for a 3pm kick off.