Harriers 1
Forest Green Rovers 1

DEFENDER Martin Riley saved Harriers' blushes against Blue Square Premier strugglers Forest Green as their home winning streak was stopped in its tracks on Boxing Day.

Harriers fell behind to keeper Adam Bartlett's 44th minute own goal but just a minute later Riley scored from a corner after the visitors failed to clear.

The draw killed off hopes of a ninth home win in a row at Aggborough.

Manager Mark Yates made two changes to the side which lost at Crawley Town.

With Mark Creighton and Russ Penn suspended, Dean Bennett and Luke Jones came into the side.

Lee Baker had also recovered from his knee injury and returned to the left-back position, which meant that stand-in skipper Andy Ferrell was restored to central midfield.

Forest Green had the best of the game in the first half and went ahead in the 44th minute, when Bartlett flapped Lee Fowler's corner into the back of the his own net.

Harriers responded immediately and after Matthew Barnes-Homer's corner won a corner, Riley grabbed his first goal for the club when he rifled a low shot into the back of the net from eight yards out.

The home side were pegged back again by the away team at the start of the second half and striker Andy Mangan could have scored in the 52nd minute.

He raced onto Simon Clist's pass but shot across the face of goal.

Barnes-Homer should have done better when he powered into the box but shot off target.

Harriers were looking more determined and Ferrell saw his fierce low drive well-held by keeper Terry Burton.

Winger Martin Brittain was shown a yellow card in the 59th minute after kicking the ball away in frustration.

Forest Green were the busier side and looked capable of scoring more goals.

A fine passing move carved open the home side in the 67th minute but winger Curtis McDonald screwed his effort wide.

In an effort to inject some attacking impetus into his side, Yates brought on Stefan Moore, Darryl Knights and David McDermott, which meant the hosts had four strikers on the pitch.

With the minutes slipping away, Harriers went for broke, with McDermott's 30-yard effort tipped over by keeper Burton.

McDermott turned provider when he played in Knights, who shot wide.

But for all their late pressure, Harriers could not find their way through and had to settle for a point.

Harriers: Baker 6 (Knights, 85), Riley 6, Jones 6, Lowe 6, Smikle 5 (McDermott, 67), FERRELL 8, Bennett 6, Brittain 5 (Moore, 77), Barnes-Homer 7, Richards 6.

Unused substitutes: Knights, Beardsley, Coleman.

Forest Green: Burton, Lawless (Mohammed, 80), Stonehouse, Jones, Gill, Clist, Mangan, Smith, Preece, Fowler, McDonald.

Unused substitutes: Robinson, Rigoglioso, Ayres.

Referee: S Rushton (Staffordshire). Attendance: 2102 (150)