ADAM Murray felt Kidderminster Harriers deserved their victory at high-flying South Shields after refusing to show their opponents too much respect.
A header from David Davis and fine solo goal from Kam Kandola helped Harriers to a memorable away win at the First Cloud Arena.
The result leaves Kidderminster fourth in the National League North table.
And Murray praised his side’s desire to press South Shields and felt Harriers carried out his gameplan to perfection.
Murray said: “The way we won was tremendous. The players were outstanding. We had a gameplan.
“South Shields are the best team I’ve seen at this level for a long time. It shows where they are in the league and what they’ve done to teams this season.
“If we gave them too much respect, they would have got the better of the game. We picked a team to go after them and the boys carried it out.
“South Shields are the best possession-based team in the league and we’re the best pressing team in the league.
“It could have been five at half time from the amount of clear-cut chances we created from the press. Then it was about discipline.
“It’s a really good result against a top team. It’s been a strange first half of the season but we’ve all stuck together and we all deserve that result.”
Harriers eventually broke the deadlock four minutes before half time when Davis headed in Ryley Reynolds’ free-kick from close range.
A stunning solo goal from substitute Kandola sealed the points for the visitors three minutes from time as he beat two defenders on his way into the box and coolly found the net.
South Shields halved the deficit seven minutes into injury time as substitute Dillon Morse poked home but Harriers held on to take the points.
And Murray admits he changed his tactics for the fixture following a run on inconsistent results over the last couple of months.
Murray added: “From the Radcliffe game up to last week, for nine games, I changed what we did a little bit to take the pressure off the decision-making and we went a lot more direct.
“At half time of the last game, I made a decision in my head that I wasn’t enjoying any second of it. I’ve got to do what’s me.
“We carried out a gameplan and stuck to it. The players ran through brick walls for me and when we do that, we can match anybody in this league.
“The league is different to what it was four years ago when I won it. I’ve had to catch up. There’s not many teams that play which limits the amount of pressing we can do.
“But when teams do play, we will do that to them. You still need the quality to punish teams we did that.
“Kam’s goal should be up there for goal of the season already.”
Kidderminster are next in action against Worksop Town in the FA Trophy on Saturday, December 13 with kick-off at 3pm at Sandy Lane.
