Harriers 1 Hereford 1

JUST as they did on the last occasion the sides met in Conference action five seasons ago, honours remained even between the Herefordshire and Worcestershire rivals at Aggborough.

Jamie Pitman's seventh minute strike was cancelled out by Taiwo Atieno 20 minutes later and, in the end, a game which promised much in the first-half, was spoiled after the interval by a blustery wind which substantially reduced the skill factor.

After some early jockeying for position, Hereford took the lead from the first meaningful attack of the game.

Pitman surged forward from midfield and, when Terry Fleming attempted a tackle, the ball sat up invitingly for the midfielder to lash home an excellent strike from 25 yards for his first goal of the season.

Four minutes later, Kidderminster threatened for the first time as Atieno cut in past Tamika Mkandawire but fired a powerful shot straight at Wayne Brown.

Hereford, however, quickly reasserted control and enjoyed a good spell of pressure, although their only clear opening came in the 19th minute when Jon Brady cut in from the right and shot narrowly over from 20 yards.

Harriers were back on level terms after 27 minutes when the ball reached Simon Russell on the left and his cross cleared the leaping Tony James and was thundered home by Atieno's head.

Mkandawire had the ball in the net again for Hereford after 33 minutes when he headed in a Brady corner, but the effort was ruled out for an infringement.

Pitman then went close to repeating his strike with a fine 25-yarder which took enough of a deflection from Matt Bailey to send the effort wide.

Atieno and Brady both sent shots just off target as an entertaining first period came to a close.

With Andy Williams replacing Bailey at the start of the second-half, Hereford continued to press and Mkandawire's flicked header from an Andy Ferrell corner went narrowly wide.

As the half progressed, however, Kidderminster gained control in midfield and started to bear down on Brown's goal.

A prolonged spell of pressure following the home side's first corner of the game on 70 minutes found the goalkeeper racing out to save at the feet of the home substitute Lee Thompson.

Brown then produced a brilliant save to touch an Atieno shot over from point-blank range after the on-loan striker beat James to another dangerous Russell cross.

Hereford also had some good moments late on, none better than when Williams showed good skill to power into the Harriers area where home goalkeeper Daniel Lewis came out well to block.

A shot from Dean Beckwith was deflected for a late Hereford corner but then Mkandawire did well to block a Russell shot as the hosts pushed on in search of a late winner.

HARRIERS: Lewis, Mullins, Jackson, Burgess, Hatswell, Heslop, Fleming, O'Connor, Russell, Atieno, Sheldon (Thompson, 67 min). Subs not used: Danby, Burton, Hurren, Wilson.

HEREFORD: Brown, Purdie, Mkandawire, James, Blewitt (Beckwith 85 min), Brady, Pitman, Stanley, Ferrell, Carey-Bertram (Ipoua, 74 min), Bailey (Williams, 46 min). Subs not used: Mawson, Evans.

ATTENDANCE: 3,241.