ONE second half penalty was all it took to scrap Harriers' plans to make it three wins on the trot despite a very one-sided first half - Crawley Town left Aggborough with all three points today.

It was a puzzling afternoon - in the first half alone Harriers had created enough chances to have beaten Town by a cricket score - but failure to take those chances and the awarding of a dubious penalty ensured the game swung in the opposite direction.

Simon Russell and Iyseden Christie linked up superbly in the first half and left the Crawley defence for dust, Russell supplied striker Andy White with some superb ammunition with the ex-Notts County man particularly unlucky not to have put away his powerful 19th minute header.

Russell tried to take it upon himself to open the scoring as he surged forward, he picked up on Christie's ball after some good hold-up play, the midfielder shot low and hard towards Ben Hamer's goal - the effort unfortunately whizzed passed the post.

With half an hour gone Christie made a great chance out of his own work - he beat the offside trap and raced down on Hamer, kept the ball at his feet despite the best intentions of the Crawley defence and managed to cut inside and fire a good shot at Hamer that was well saved - Jamie McClen blasted the loose ball just over the bar.

Just after the interval, Crawley had their first effort on goal of the afternoon - from the penalty spot after Gavin Hurren had rather harshly been adjudged to have handled Lee Blackburn's pass - Scott Rendell put the ball home at the second time of asking after a re-take to give his side the lead.

Harriers' heads seemed to drop at that point and it wasn't until after the hour mark before they threatened again, Crawley in the mean time did little more than huff and puff - 64 minutes had gone before Christie headed over from Russell's pinpoint cross.

You sensed it really wouldn't be Harriers day when substitute Brian Smikle could only fire the ball back into open play when presented with a chance in front of goal - Russell had a shot blocked as he attempted to re-cycle.

In injury time Harriers almost managed to even-up the luck stakes when Haymer had the ball volleyed back at him from close range from one of his own players - but he somehow was able to pull out a great save to ensure Crawley left with the points.

Harriers: Bevan, Sedgemore (Bob Taylor 86), Creighton, Whitehead, Harkness, Russell, Hurren, McClen (Smikle 69), Blackwood, Christie, White (Reynolds 82).
Subs Not Used: Steve Taylor, McGrath.

Crawley Town: Hamer, Hiley, Judge, Woozley, Lovegrove, Macleod, Bostwick, Mills, Bulman, Blackburn, Rendell.
Subs Not Used: Tolfrey, Baker, Hutchings, Dadson, Nayee.

Attendance: 1,458 (40)

Referee: A Turner (Exeter).