Rochdale 1(1) v (1)1 Kidderminster Harriers

A battling performance from Harriers helped them to their first unbeaten "run" since August with their second consecutive draw although it was not enough to save them from returning to the bottom of the league with results elsewhere going against them - Cambridge won for the second time in two games to move above them.

The most surprising change to the team was the demotion of Simon Weaver to the subs' bench, his place went to Johnny Mullins who had shaken off the hamstring injury picked up in the midweek draw with Bristol Rovers and Lee Jenkins came in at right back.  Skipper Wayne Hatswell continued at left back and new signing Mark Rawle had to be content with a place on the bench.

A scrappy first half almost began in the worst possible way for Harriers after just seven minutes when the home team had the ball in the back of the net; a free kick from deep on the right was headed in at the far post by Greg Heald but the goal was not allowed to stand because Heald had fouled John Danby to get to the ball.  After this let-off Harriers began to get themselves into the game and deservedly, albeit out of the blue, took the lead after 17 minutes when an unmarked Chris Beardsley rose to head in Wayne Hatswell's left-wing cross with home keeper Matthew Gilks motionless on his line as the ball dropped into the bottom corner in slow motion.  Despite having plenty of possession Harriers were not creating too much in front of goal and it was little surprise when Dale equalised five minutes before the break - no surprise that they scored and even less surprise that it came from a Harriers mistake.  A poor header by Tom Bennett in the penalty area fell to Marcus Richardson who laid it back to Gary Jones, his shot was well saved but Rickie Lambert was on hand to head in the loose ball to register his first goal for the club.

The second half was no less scrappy, the hoe team offered no threat to Harriers but equally Harriers little threat to them although it was the visitors who had the best of the chances in the second period.  On the hour mark god work by Blair Sturrock on the right almost set up Bertrand Cozic but before he was able to get a shot in Scott Warner cleared the ball off his toe at the expense of a corner.  At the other end Jones put in alan Goodhall seconds after the latter had come on as a sub for Ernie Cooksey and he was denied only by the sped of Danby who was quickly off his line to parry his effort out of play.

Harriers didn't show any real urgency to win the game until the final ten minutes.  A corner from the right was almost headed in by Mark Jackson but Dale managed to scramble the ball clear. Then, after Jenkins had blocked Lambert's 30-yard free-kick for a corner Dean Keates made a surging run through the middle of the park before finding Rawle, on for Beardsley, on the left, his cross to the far post fell invitingly for Sturrock but he blazed his shot over the bar.  A Bennett pass through the middle found Sturrock on the edge of the penalty area but, after a good turn, he shot weakly at Gilks and the home team were happy to see out stoppage time and hold on for a point.