Moore magic rescues point for Harriers

The Aggborough side looked down out trailing 2-1 after Justin Richards, Martin Riley and manager Mark Yates were sent off.

But Moore ensured they stretched their unbeaten run to ten games with a fierce late strike.

The game was marred by referee David Coote, who lost control of the match and made a series of innacurate decisions which left Harriers unfuriated.

Yates made one change to the side which had defeated Stevenage Borough only three days before, handing Martin Brittain his first start since March's draw at Salisbury.

The wideman was employed to roam each wing and supply the ammunition for strikers Matthew Barnes-Homer and Justin Richards.

Despite being charged with gambling on matches by the FA from his time at Bury, Green's 23-goal hitman Andy Mangan was selected up front by manager Jim Harvey, with David Brown playing behind.

Harriers went into the game brimming with confidence after a nine-game unbeaten run which has seen the Worcestershire promotion hopefuls power back into the play-off reckoning.

However, they were taking on a side that had itself not tasted defeat in four matches and had beaten title hopefuls Cambridge in the previous match.

The home side made a bright start but Harriers showed signs that they were able to open them up.

Chris McPhee did well to break free on the right side of the box but his cross was headed behind by defender Jonathon Smith with Justin Richards lurking in the seventh minute.

But keeper Adam Bartlett had to be alert in the ninth minute when Mangan rushed into Harriers' area but the shot-stopper did well to spread himself wide and block his shot.

Brittain came close with a 30-yard free-kick which bent over the wall but was just a fraction wide of keeper Terry Burton's left-hand post.

For all Harriers neat approach play, they looked troubled by the home side's counter-attacks and Martin Riley had to be vigilant when the pacey Mangan chased down a long goal-kick.

Forest Green's defence was also giving the visitor's attacking players little space to operate in and were happy to give free-kicks 40-yards out.

But Harriers opened the scoring in the 30th minute after a free-flowing move started by livewire Russ Penn.

He set Matthew Barnes-Homer free and his cross fell to Brittain 12-yards out, who made no mistake with a hard low right-foot shot into the bottom left corner.

The visitors then had to weather some pressure late in the first half by a determined Forest Green.

Harriers were denied a second in the 37th minute when Matthew Barnes-Homer finished coolly from close range but was ruled out for offside.

The Worcestershire side though were stunned when Andy Mangan, who looked off side, stole free into the box and was blocked by Martin Riley. Conal Platt finished from close range to level in the scores in the 40th minute.

Things went from bad to worse a minute later when Justin Richards was shown a straight red card for retaliating with a headbutt after he was tackled clumsily from behind by Lee Ayres. The Forest Green man was shown a yellow card and Harriers had to play the rest of the game with ten men.

Harriers were lucky in the 50th minute when from 12-yards out David Brown shot over the bar after a good run and cross from Darren Jones.

Lone hitman Matthew Barnes-Homer had a sniff of goal in the 55th minute when he raced into the box and spun quickly after a defensive slip but his shot rolled wide.

Defender Keith Lowe made a well-timed challenge to stop Platt in his tracks as he powered into the box.

Brown once again had a chance to test Harriers' shot-stopper after he as picked out by Paul Stonehouse but he sidefooted a 15-yard effort wide.

Harriers were starting to look dangerous and Russ Penn powered into the box but was blocked by Lee Ayres' challenge in the area.

But just when they looked as though they were getting back into the match dangerman Mangan headed Forest Green into a 77th minute lead.

To make matters worse, Yates was sent off from the technical area for shouting instructions at his players by the hapless official.

Harriers were reduced to nine men when Martin Riley was shown two yellow cards for two challenges in the space of four minutes.

But substitute Stefan Moore gave the away side a boost in the 88th minute when he rifled a powerful shot beyond a helpess Burton.

Harriers: Bartlett; Baker (Moore, 84); Creighton; Barnes-Homer; Penn (Jones, 84); Richards; Brittain (Smikle, 75); Riley; Bennett; Lowe; McPhee.

Unused substitutes: Knights; Carr.

Forest Green: Burton; Stonehouse; Jones; Mangan; Platt; Smith; Preece; Fowler; Ayres; Brown (Rigoglioso, 85); Llloyd (Mohammed, 56).

Unused substitutes: Rigoglioso; Ashford; McDonald; Pass.

Referee: David Coote (Notts). Attendance: 907 (383)