Harriers slipped to their second defeat in a row, falling to Braintree for the first time.

A goal in each half - one a stunner out-of-the-blue and one very sloppy - condemned Harriers to their second defeat of the week as they failed to capitalise on numerous chances including hitting the woodwork three times.

Harriers started slowly and fell behind after 14 minutes; James Mulley received the ball wide on the right and hit a volley on the turn that, with the help of a trailing wind, flew beyond the reach of Danny Lewis and inside the far post.  Jordan Cox wasted a glorious opportunity to double the advantage on the half hour sending a free header from Sam Habergham's left-wing cross over the bar.

Harriers' best move of the half came two minutes before the break, a good passing move through the inside-right channel ended with Jack Byrne firing a shot past Nick Hamman that came back off the far post and was scrambled away for a corner.  In the last minute of the half Byrne went close again, his volley from Marvin Johnson's deep cross saved by Hamman.

Sloppy defending three minutes into the second half gifted Braintree a second goal; Kenny Davis allowed a free header from close range to meet Dan Sparkes' left-wing corner.  Midway through the half Michael Bakare tested Lewis with a 20-yard free-kick that beat the wall but was straight at the keeper.

As Harriers tried to get back into the game Mulley came to Town's rescue on 69 minutes, hacking the ball off the line after Kevin Nicholson's long throw had been knocked goalwards by a combination of goalkeeper, defender and Chey Dunkley.

Dunkley headed over the bar from Kyle Storer's corner as Harriers continued to wasted chances and then Michael Gash and Craig Reid combined to set up Ahmed Obeng whose shot straight at the keeper.  Nicholson forced Hamman into a save with a dangerous free-kick that the keeper pushed onto the post.

In stoppage time the woodwork was hit again, this time Obeng with a shot on the turn as Harriers resorted to launching long balls into the penalty area.