HARRIERS 2 SHREWSBURY 2

THERE was a gloomy atmosphere around Aggborough at 8.35pm on Tuesday as Kidderminster Harriers looked set to surrender points in the Division Three play-off race.

But a stunning second-half fightback from Ian Britton's men, not the first this season by any means, rescued a draw and so nearly produced a win.

Sloppy Harriers were 2-0 down inside the first quarter-of-an-hour but big front-man Drewe Broughton pounced with a double strike inside six minutes.

Harriers then dominated Shrewsbury to such an extent that it only seemed a matter of time before the winner arrived.

To the visitors' credit, their defence just held out despite having the unenviable record of conceding the most goals in the division.

But for Britton's side it was a rollercoaster of a match which was certainly richly entertaining at the very least.

From a shambolic opening, they missed several good chances up until half-time with Andy Bishop in particular the culprit.

But, after a slow start to the second 45 minutes, the game suddenly exploded into life for the home side with Bishop playing a major role.

The Harriers goal rush seemed to be sparked by a controversial incident on 57 minutes.

Sutton Coldfield referee Ray Olivier pointed to the penalty spot after a handball incident among a ruck of players in the box following Sam Shilton's corner.

But Olivier was surrounded, quite literally, by most of the Shrewsbury players and, after consulting his assistant referee, gave a free-kick to the Shropshire side, apparently for handball against Harriers.

It was a bizarre incident but Harriers, clearly spurred on by the decision, were level inside 11 minutes.

If only they had been so switched on in that first 15 minutes when they gave themselves a mammoth task.

Peter Wilding gave Shrewsbury a seventh-minute lead, glancing home a header from Ian Woan's free-kick just inside Fraser Digby's left-hand post from 15 yards.

Though John Melligan headed Adie Smith's cross wastefully off target soon after, it was two for Shrewsbury on 15 minutes.

Again former Nottingham Forest man Woan was the architect with a fine pass but top scorer Luke Rodgers was allowed to run across the area by defenders before rifling home a lethal drive.

Harriers rarely looked convincing in the first period but still created excellent chances.

Bishop screwed one shot wide from Melligan's pull-back before Rodgers volleyed over as Shrewsbury threatened a third.

But Bishop's best chance fell on 39 minutes when he slipped the ball wide from close range after Sean Flynn flicked Danny Williams' pass over the defence.

The on-loan Walsall striker was not about to shy away from the action though and he drove a low effort wide from 20 yards just before the whistle.

In the second half, Harriers struggled to make an impact until that incident involving referee Olivier.

Almost immediately, Williams crossed for Smith to head goalwards though keeper Mark Cartwright made a comfortable save.

But Cartwright had no chance on 62 minutes when Bishop, fed by Williams' excellent pass, fired across the face of goal and Broughton got the vital touch from a few yards out.

Six minutes later, Melligan supplied Bishop and he provided another crucial pass for Broughton to again apply a close-range finish.

Harriers steamed forward in search of a winner but Cartwright was not to be beaten a third time.

He saved low to his left from Broughton's effort and then watched Bishop's 20-yarder dip just over the crossbar.

With a minute left, the inspirational Williams chipped accurately from the edge of the box but Cartwright pulled off a vital finger-tip save.

And in injury-time Flynn's cross picked out an unmarked Broughton whose downward header lacked the power to beat Shrewsbury's keeper.

This could prove a vital point for Harriers in the play-off race but has made Saturday's game with Swansea all the more important.

HARRIERS: Digby 6; Morgan 7, Scott 6, Hinton 6; Smith 6, Melligan 7, Williams 7, Flynn 6, Shilton 6; Broughton 7, BISHOP 8. Subs not used: Brock, Stamps, Parrish, Foster, Ayres.

SHREWSBURY: Cartwright; Artell, Atkins, Redmile; Moss, Woan, Tolley (Jagielka 22), Wilding, Van Blerk (Aiston 79); Rodgers (Lowe 90), Jemson. Subs not used: Murray, Stevens.

ATTENDANCE: 3,284.

SHOTS ON: Harriers 6, Shrewsbury 3.

SHOTS OFF: Harriers 18, Shrewsbury 1.

CORNERS: Harriers 11, Shrewsbury 2.

GOALS: Wilding 7, Rodgers 15, Broughton 62, Broughton 68.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 1 (Melligan), Shrewsbury 1 (Jemson).

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: Andy Bishop. Was a constant thorn in the side of the Shrewsbury defence with his pace, movement and dribbling ability.