ONE per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration did the trick as Mark Pugh's pure genius and Kidderminster Harriers' hard work won the day against Dagenham.

But it was not enough to save boss Stuart Watkiss, who was subsequently sacked despite seeing his team's six-game Conference winless run come to an end.

Anybody who has watched Kidderminster week in week out will know that moments of genuine class are few and far between in the Conference.

The kick and rush, bump and grind slog that is non-League football's top division is not renowned for providing punters with a wow factor.

But Pugh's part in kickstarting Kidderminster was so unique, so refreshing and so breath-takingly boisterous that it was worthy of the admission price alone.

With the mid-table match degenerating into a scrappy affair, nobody expected Pugh's memorable moment of impudent skill when he sneaked in behind the Daggers defence after 41 minutes.

But displaying the exciting exuberance of youth which is so often coached out of young players, the Burnley teenager proceeded to drag the ball with the laces of one boot up onto the heel of the other in one fluid movement and loop it over his marker's head to bear down on goal.

With the entire crowd completely mesmerised, including suspended defenders Mark Jackson and Daryl Burgess, who sat open-mouthed in front of the press box, Pugh poked the ball into the path of Iyseden Christie to scramble it over the line.

From that point on, Pugh was positively buzzing and it was no surprise to see him score his first goal in senior football moments later with a super header. In first half injury-time, Terry Fleming sent over a pinpoint centre from the left and using the pace on the ball, Pugh cleverly extended his neck muscles to guide the ball carefully into the top left hand corner.

In between the goals, Kidderminster were grateful for the reflexes of Dan Lewis with the Harriers keeper staying alert to divert Chris Moore's effort around the post after a rare lapse in concentration from the young Harriers backline.

Full debutant defenders Gavin Hurren and Patrick Flynn deserved credit for their assured displays. Filling in at centre half, former Nottingham Forest youngster Hurren confidently stepped out with the ball and tried his luck on several occasions with long range efforts.

Ex-Wolves trainee Flynn also endeared himself to Harriers fans, showing composure, close control and the ability to use the ball simply and effectively.

Caretaker boss Martin O'Connor admitted he now faces a selection headache ahead of Saturday's trip to table-topping Accrington Stanley.

And although he will probably be right to recall the experienced duo of Jackson and Burgess it is comforting to know there are competent replacements in reserve.

While Aggborough's young guns provided plenty of reasons to be cheerful on Saturday, one of the elder statesman, experienced frontman Christie also deserves special mention after taking his goals tally to double figures.

Before the burly striker bagged his brace he fired a barrage of abuse at his manager and surely would have been hauled off had Watkiss had alternative attacking options other than the ill Taiwo Atieno on the bench.

But after letting his feet do the talking for the first goal, Christie got his head together for the third on 66 minutes with a brilliant bullet header from Wayne Hatswell's cross which gave Dagenham keeper Tony Roberts no chance.

At that stage chants of "Can we play you every week" rung around the ground and in Dagenham, Harriers had finally found a team who were much, much worse than them.

The hosts could have increased their lead but Russ Penn dragged wide after a mazy run, Hurren headed wide from a corner and Pugh overhit his ball to Christie across the six-yard box from a rapid counter-attack.

John Still's poor side pulled a goal back when Glen Southam's snapshot arrowed into the top right corner after Kidderminster were too casual on the edge of the box.

But that could not detract from a workmanlike Harriers victory, illuminated by a Pugh piece of skill which will surely feature on Sky TV's `Showboating' section on Soccer AM this Saturday.

It will take plenty more moments of inspiration and an awful lot of hard work from Pugh and Co, however, if Watkiss's successor is going to find the Harriers hotseat any more comfortable than the now departed manager.