Forest Green 1
Harriers 1

WINGER Dave Hankin echoed the fans’ wishes as he admitted he’d love transfer-listed Chris McPhee to stay on at cash-strapped Harriers.

McPhee proved his value to Harriers once again as he grabbed his second goal in as many games and make it 11 for the season as the Aggborough outfit earned a hard-fought point in Gloucestershire on Tuesday night.

Harriers’ talismanic hitman has been put up for sale as Harriers try to find some much-needed cash to try and stave off administration.

He continued to increase his value to the club with another versatile display which was capped off by his 82nd minute goal.

Hankin, who helped to set-up the goal, said: “All the lads are behind Macca, he’s been absolutely superb this season.

“Personally I’d love him to stay because he’s been one of our best players.”

Hankin was not only talking for himself or his teammates but the supporters as well.

The 140-strong away army which turned up at Harriers Nailsworth neighbours made sure McPhee knew how much he is appreciated as they chanted his name.

To be truthful McPhee had a quiet game until the second half when he was moved from central midfield to his more familiar forward role.

Up until then Harriers, who had Jamille Matt, Callum Gitting and Hankin making rare starts, had looked blunt and vulnerable to the well-drilled host’s counter-attacks.

Keeper Danny Lewis was their hero throughout as he produced a string of saves but he could not prevent experienced former Hereford hitman Steve Guinan heading Forest Green into a deserved lead in the 20th minute.

But Harriers were given extra motivation after Forest Green hitman Reece Styche was lucky to escape a straight red.

The forward slid in legitimately to try and win the ball off Lewis but then petulantly caught the keeper in the face with his boot.

Much to manager Steve Burr and his troop’s ire, the hitman escaped with a yellow card.

The bad feeling between the two sides continued at half-time, when Forest Green player Ian Herring, who was not even in the squad, raced down the main stand onto the pitch to join in the home team’s barracking of Harriers’ frustrated players.

To their credit, the visitors used their anger to good effect in the second half but it was wasn’t until McPhee was restored up front and Nick Wright, Matty Blair and Jack Byrne came on, that Harriers found their usual cutting edge.

Mark Albrighton almost forced an own goal when keeper James Bittner, who also denied Matt in the first half, parried the defender’s stinging shot and centreback Danny Hall only just cleared the ball over his own bar.

But Harriers levelled the scores in the 82nd minute, when Wright and Hankin combined well and McPhee rifled a low 12-yard shot into the back of the net.

In the dying minutes, both sides had chances to win the game, with Lewis, now sporting a headband, denying Styche.

Wright strode goalwards but Bittner alertly rushed out to block his shot.

Harriers: LEWIS 8; Vaughan 7; Williams 6; Albrighton 6; Hankin 7; Briggs 7; Morris 6 (Wright, 72); McPhee 7; Briscoe 6; Gittings 6 (Blair, 58); Matt 6(Byrne, 58). Unused substitutes: Shaw; Stevens.

Forest Green: Bittner; Hodgkiss; Jones; Armstrong; Styche; Dyer; Hall; Klukowski; Turk (Caines, 87); Guinan (Enver-Marum, 71); Forbes. Unused substitutes: Bartlett; Z Jones; Allen. Referee: Richard Martin (Somerset). Attendance: 687 (143)