Two second half goals from league leaders Crawley sank Harriers at Broadfield Stadium, condemning them to second defeat of the week.

Steve Burr chose to make one change from the side that had been beaten at Bath in midweek, bringing in Matt Blair for his first start in a Harriers shirt.  In the early stages of the game Blair's inclusion looked set to be beneficial to Harriers, but neither he nor his team-mates were able to break down the defence of big-spending Crawley.

Harriers were given early scares by the home team with leading scorer Matt Tubbs forcing a save from Danny Lewis and his strike partner Craig McAllister fired wide, both in the first five minutes.  A good passing move by Harriers ended with Blair crossing from the right for Chris McPhee who headed over at the near post.

The game spent long spells bogged down in midfield, but the home team looked most likely to break the deadlock.  Ben Smith's corner from the left found McAllister who headed straight at Lewis.  Smith himself went close, also, shortly before the break with a dipping shot from 25 yards out the flew narrowly wide.

Shortly before the hour mark Callum Gittings picked out Ollie Thorne with a corner from the right but he headed over the bar.  Crawley then broke the deadlock midway through the half; Harriers were down to ten men with Michael Briscoe on the sidelines receiving treatment for a head injury when Scott Neilson picked up the ball on the right, cut inside and unleashed a great shot from over 20 yards out that left Lewis grasping at thin air after it had flown through the space that Briscoe would have been standing in.

At the other end McPhee went close again with a header from a Lee Vaughan cross that dropped onto the roof of the net.  Moments later Town doubled their advantage; a Harriers free-kick was cleared and play quickly switched to the other end with Tubbs breaking away on the left before crossing low to the far post where McAllister was on hand to force the ball home from close range.

Harriers finally forced home keeper Michel Kuipers into action five minutes into stoppage time, a Tom Shaw free-kick - the first shot on target by the visitors - being pushed around the post for a corner.