The early exchanges were tight against a Hartlepool team desperate for points in their promotion bid.

Harriers were unable to create anything in the first 20 minutes and home keeper Tim Clarke was kept on his toes as he raced out of his goal to deal with a series of loose balls. Tim Clarke

Neil Mackenzie had the first effort on goal on 11 minutes after Scott Stamps's long throw was only cleared as far as the midfielder on the edge of the area but he sent a wild volley into the vociferous visiting end.

Hartlepool's top scorer Tommy Miller sent an audacious chip just over Clarke's bar on 23 minutes.