Harriers 0
Tamworth 0

CAPTAIN Chris McPhee saw a penalty saved as Harriers and Tamworth battled out a tame draw at Aggborough on Tuesday night.

The skipper's spot-kick in the first half denied the home side a goal they barely deserved as the Staffordshire side had the best of the game.

However, a point each was fair enough as neither team had enough quality in front of goal on a bitterly cold night in Worcestershire.

Harriers' opponents contained four ex-Harriers on the pitch and it was a combination of old boys Simon Russell and Neil MacKenzie who opened up the home side in the 13th minute.

Simon Russell's cross from the left scythed through to Neil MacKenzie on the edge of the box and his fierce right-foot drive flew just wide.

The hosts were being pushed back and they survived a scare in the 21st minute when an unmarked Jake Sheridan had time to chest down former Harriers Simon Brown's cross and shoot over.

Harriers had another lucky escape moments later when Nick Wright scored but Brown was adjudged to be offside.

Ryan Charles, making his first start since joining Harriers last week, did well to get free in the box and control Daniel Andrew's long ball, but his reverse pass was blocked by Richard Tait.

Tamworth keeper Danny Alcock then denied Harriers a goal after Charles was brought down in the box by Chris Smith. Unfortunately, the keeper dived to his left and got a hand to McPhee's spot-kick in the 34th minute.

Moments later, Damian Spencer saw a good chance go to waste, when Tamworth could not clear the ball but the big striker headed over from two yards out.

Late in the first half, Harriers shot-stopper Dean Coleman was called into action when he had to pluck MacKenzie's free-kick out of the air.

Tamworth started the second half in dangerous mood and Luke Wright had his head in his hands when she shot over Harriers' goal in the 49th minute.

Harriers were struggling to create any clear cut scoring chances and Charles saw a cross from the right wing fly out of play.

Manager Mark Yates decided to haul off the ineffective David McDermott and bring on Darryl Knights around the hour mark.

But the Lambs continued to string the home side along and after Coleman had spilled the ball under pressure at a corner, but Harriers managed to put the ball behind for a corner.

Knights produced a bit of magic that almost opened the scoring in the 65th minute, when his 25-yard effort was tipped over by Alcock.

At the other end, Coleman got down smartly to block Sheridan's low skidding effort.

Another Aggborough ex, Iyseden Christie, was allowed to latch onto a goal-kick and run goalwards but Gavin Caines did well to track back and win the ball.

Harriers plugged away but lacked the ability open up the away side and when they did they did not have the composure to score.

Brian Smikle had a half chance when Spencer delivered a low ball into the box but the midfielder failed to connect at the far post in the 86th minute.

Both teams forced corners late on but in keeping with a poor game, Harriers and Tamworth failed to worry either keeper.

Harriers: Coleman; Courtney; Riley; Caines; Andrew; Finnigan (Hayward, 73); McPhee; McDermott (Knghts, 61); Smikle; Charles (Farrell, 90); Spencer.

Unused: substitutes: Baker; Singh Tamworth: Alcock; Tait; Smith; Wylde; MacKenzie (Briscoe, 93); Wright (Christie, 71); Pritchard; Sheridan; Langdon; Russell; Brown.

Unused substitutes: Shaw; Lake-Gaskin; Ulker.

Referee: Jake Collin (Merseyside). Attendance: 1,166 (106)