Once again a late defensive lapse cost Harriers maximum points when Marcus Richardson stabbed in an 89th minute equaliser after Harriers looked to have the result in the bag. The late goal denied loanee Simon Brown all of the glory when his goal on his Football League debut had put Harriers in front.
Jan Molby made two changes to the team that had capitulated against Macclesfield last week, bringing in Brown and Matt Gadsby at the expense of Adam Murray and Sean Parrish; Jesper Christiansen had to be content with a place on the bench despite scoring four times in a midweek friendly.
Lincoln were first on the attack in a dour first half with Gary Fletcher giving Scott Stamps a torrid time in the opening minute and forcing a corner that Harriers scrambled Kidderminster. Lincoln's direct style of play put Harriers under a lot of pressure in the early stages and John Danby was called upon a number of times to deal with high balls and crosses and Wayne Hatswell and Adrian Viveash were coping well with the three-pronged City attack. Despite their route-one play there were not many clear-cut goalscoring chances at either end in the first half, Danby only had one real save to make, keeping out an effort from Francis Green. At the other end Harriers' best chance fell to John Williams but he headed tamely at Alan Marriott.
Harriers appeared more determined after the interval and needed only 58 seconds to take the lead. Mark Yates' through ball fell right into the path of Brown who had a clear run on goal before calmly tucking his shot past the advancing Marriott from the edge of the penalty area. The visitors began to crank up the pressure and Ian Foster went close soon afterwards with a shot that went narrowly wide and then he had another opportunity but shot straight at Marriott when he could have passed to the better placed Brown.
Lincoln were still being very direct and went close to an equaliser on the hour when Simon Yeo got on the end of a left-wing cross but his header was not well controlled and although Danby appeared to push it over the bar no corner was given. The same player wasted another good chance a couple of minutes later when he fired over from just outside the penalty area. At the other end Craig Hinton found himself in a good attacking position, picking up Brown's quickly taken throw but he fired it too high.
The game was far more open now than it had been in the first half and both teams were creating good goalscoring chances. Fifteen minutes from the end Ben Futcher got forward for Lincoln had fired in a good shot that Gadsby did well to block. Moments later play had switched to the other end and Williams found Brown on the right but his 20-yard effort was hit straight at Marriott who held on to it gratefully.
As time ran out it seemed that Harriers had the points in the back but Yeo attacked on the left wing and was allowed too much time to get in his cross to the far post where Fletcher rose unchallenged and nodded it down for Richardson to stab in from close range. In the last minute Harriers almost snatched a dramatic late winner when substitute Christiansen got free on the wing and pulled the ball back to Gadsby but his shot was blocked for a corner and The Imps held on the save a point. |