By Mat Kendrick

DESPITE the dodgems, the helter skelter, the amusement arcades and the hook-a-duck stall, there was absolutely nothing "fair" about Scarborough on Saturday.

Harriers spent the evening before the match relaxing along the seafront and going on the rides during a rare overnight stay.

And it seemed to have paid off as Stuart Watkiss's men were easily the main attraction at the McCain Stadium.

They took the game to the Seadogs and frustrated a home crowd which was already close to breaking point following Scarborough's opening two defeats of the campaign.

But after having three points in their grasp, Harriers took their foot off the gas and allowed their North Yorkshire hosts an undeserved share of the spoils.

Perhaps they should have spent Friday night getting target practice on the coconut shy -- because their aim was nowhere near up to scratch.

No fewer than six presentable chances came and went in the first half alone and Kidderminster should have led by a much greater margin than captain Mark Jackson's 31st minute goal.

The mercurial Simon Russell was at fault for wasting the best opportunity of the match, blazing hopelessly over with just the keeper to beat after jinking his way past the home defence.

It summed up the afternoon for sandy-haired winger "Scholesy" whose speed and skill caused constant problems for his markers, only for him to lack the end product.

And on the one occasion when he did find the finish to match his impressive build-up play -- from a slick second half counter attack -- Russell was thwarted by a fine save from Scarborough keeper Leigh Walker.

Russell and fellow front-runners Taiwo Atieno and Gareth Sheldon faded after that and along with Laurie Wilson were accused by boss Watkiss of going missing during the latter part of the game.

Making their first starts of the season due to three key absences, Atieno, Sheldon and Wilson looked lively early on with all three missing chances to open the scoring when they should have done better.

Lee Thompson also found the side netting when he should have opened his Kidderminster account, while Jackson saw a towering header land the wrong side of the post from a Sheldon corner.

The inspirational skipper did make up for that miss midway through the first half however when he headed Harriers into a deserved lead from another right wing Sheldon flag kick - the corner coming about after Walker flung himself to his left to keep out Sheldon's free kick.

That should have been the cue for the visitors to put the Conference strugglers firmly in their place, but rather than going in for the kill, Kidderminster allowed their hosts back into the match.

Scarborough enjoyed more possession in the last half hour than they had done all game, but even so, Nick Henry's men did not pack much of a punch.

A Harriers defence, weakened when Daryl Burgess limped off with a dead leg, with Wayne Hatswell moving to the centre and Steve Burton coming on at left back, coped comfortably with their hosts' toothless attacks.

But a last minute lapse allowed Paul Foot to get his head to Steve Baker's free kick and plant a firm header beyond the reach of John Danby, who had been a virtual spectator up until that point.

SCARBOROUGH

L Walker, S Baker, K Nicholson, D Elebert, S Weaver, A Lyth (Foot 46), I Clark (Eccles 36), A Harper, T Hackworth, J Palmer (Coulson 60), M Quayle. Subs not used: Wake, Pecora.

Goal: Foot 90.

HARRIERS

J Danby 6, W Evans 7, W Hatswell 7, M Jackson 8, D Burgess 7 (Burton 19, 6), Wilson 6, M O'Connor 7 (Hurren 87), L Thompson 6, G Sheldon 6 (Graves 72, 6), S Russell 6, T Atieno 6. Subs not used: Lewis, Penn.

Goal: Jackson (31).

ATTENDANCE: 1,401.

REFEREE: I Smedley, Derby.

STAR MAN: Jackson - Led by example.