Saturday, November 20, 1999.

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers had to settle for their first draw of the season when they allowed Northwich Victoria to equalise four minutes into stoppage time in Saturday's 1-1 Nationwide Conference deadlock at The Drill Field.

A 66th minute goal from striker Stewart Hadley looked to have earned title-chasing Harriers victory until Northwich maintained their unbeaten home league record with a dramatic equaliser from Wes Simpson.

The result left Harriers in fifth spot in the table six points behind new leaders Nuneaton Borough with two matches in hand.

Afterwards Harriers recently recruited defender Ian Clarkson said: "It was really frustrating because we had two or three chances which could have put the result out of sight. We should have defended the corner which led to the goal better, but you can't keep coming to places like this and not winning if you are going to win the league. The game was there for taking for us and we should have won.

"In the first half we didn't play well at all, but in the second half we got at them a little bit more. We have come away from home and we've probably looked like the better team without playing incredibly well so you have got to take the positives from games like this where we were seconds away from getting three points."

Kidderminster made a promising start but gradually began to fade with their best first half scoring efforts coming from Paul Webb, Scott Stamps and Mark Druce.

Striker Druce, in particular, was unlucky with a fierce drive shortly before the interval which was tipped over the bar by keeper Lance Key.

After the break Kidderminster stepped up their efforts to find a way through the Vics defence and they finally succeeded when Hadley scored with an acrobatic overhead scissor kick following a cross from Dean Bennett.

In the 87th minute Hadley had another effort hit the bar before Ian Cooke went close for the Vics a minute later with a header which was pushed over by keeper Tim Clarke.

Then, with the seconds ticking away, Northwich pounced when Simpson headed in a corner which Clarke had been unable to cut out.

Former Birmingham City captain Clarkson said: "It was a soft goal to give away. It was probably a bit of an unnecessary corner and one thing led to another and the fellow put it in."

Although the match was never dirty, Walsall-based referee Steve Bratt booked seven players including Kiddermin-ster's Rene Petersen, Mike Marsh, Hadley and Bennett.

Newcomer Marsh's booking came shortly after he had been drafted on for his debut by replacing Petersen in the 60th minute.

Simpson's late strike was particularly disappointing for Harriers as two of their title-challenging rivals, Kingston-ian and Nuneaton, both dropped points.

Kingstonian lost 1-0 at home to Doncaster Rovers while Nuneaton were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Telford United.