AFC Wimbledon missed their opportunity to go back to the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier for the second time in four days with a lacklustre display which saw them slump to defeat at the hands of a well-organised and committed Kidderminster Harriers.

Last season a well-marshalled Dons side went to the Aggborough Stadium and came away with a 1-0 win courtesy of a Danny Kedwell goal. But on this Sunday afternoon one of the few pleasing aspects was the performance Seb Brown, who kept the scoreline to a respectable level. He made a number of crucial saves in very breezy conditions, on a surface that was surprisingly dry at first but became slippery in the second half as the day grew wetter.

If Thursday night’s victory had gone according to the script, then three days later the Dons fluffed their lines. Terry Brown made just two changes to the side that beat Crawley, giving a full debut to fit-again Mark Nwokeji at the expense of Jon Main and bringing in Rashid Yussuff to replace Ricky Wellard. Chris Bush retained his place following his excellent debut performance as Andre Blackman returned from suspension to the bench.

Wimbledon’s first-half performance was in stark contrast to Thursday night - this time they started slowly and never got out of first gear. A long shot from Bush, easily saved by Kidderminster keeper Daniel Lewis, was the only shot on target they could muster in the half. The home side started brightly, enjoying the space afforded them by a sluggish Dons midfield. A fifth-minute cross-cum-shot from Lee Morris forced Seb Brown to tip the ball over his crossbar at full stretch, and five minutes later Morris again tested the Dons keeper with a low cross.

The Dons’ periods of possession were short lived, and although Fraser Franks was winning everything in the air, Lee Vaughan and Dave Hankin were causing the Dons problems on the left flank. This combination provided the opening that should have brought the first goal, but unmarked skipper Keith Briggs inexplicably put his header from close range three yards wide.

Briggs again, Morris and Chris McPhee all missed further chances. Then, on 44 minutes, a foul on Stephen Gregory went unnoticed and Kidderminster were awarded a thrown-in. The ball found its way through a static Dons defence to an unmarked McPhee, who smashed the ball home from ten yards. That was the last meaningful action of the half, and it was clear the Wimbledon midfield were struggling to keep their opponents in check.

The Dons started the second half with much more purpose following what must have been a suitably motivating talk from Messrs Brown, Cash and Bassey. On 47 minutes Nwokeji made a fine run down the right but his shot was blocked by a sprawling Kidderminster defender. Nwokeji and the 470 travelling Dons fans behind the goal were convinced that a hand had been used; the officials disagreed, and the Dons wasted the resulting corner.

That turned out to be Wimbledon’s best chance of the half as their early fire petered out. The home side continued to play the more fluent football, totally dominating the midfield and piling the pressure onto the Dons’ back line. When Ed Harris mistimed his header in the wind, Hankin should have doubled the lead, but with just Brown to beat he dragged his shot wide of the post.

Terry Brown threw on all three substitutes in an attempt to galvanise his young side into action, with Blackman, Wellard and Main replacing Bush, Yussuff and Nwokeji. Although Main and the ever-industrious Kedwell combined nicely to set up Gregory in the 80th minute, his tame shot was easily blocked. At the other end, Seb Brown had to be at his best to keep out Ollie Thorne’s powerful effort.

The match ended as a contest on 84 minutes when Kidderminster substitute Marc Williams, on for Morris, raced clear to beat Brown at the second attempt. The referee and his assistant both failed to spot that Williams was a yard offside when he gathered the ball. That was that, though there was time for Thorne to join the Dons pair of Franks and Harris in the referee’s notebook.

Kidderminster were worthy winners, and the Dons would now have to pick themselves up ahead of two home encounters if they were to re-establish their credentials as promotion candidates.