A much-changed Harriers side battled back from an early setback to level and earn a share of the points in a game that they should really have won.

Harriers were without key players Daryl Burgess and Jonny Harkness who picked up late injuries and so handed a debut to on-loan youngster Junior Osborne and were forced to use Michael Blackwood at left back in an experimental defence.  Tamworth were a changed side also with four players making their debuts but they still had three ex-Harriers - Adie Smith, Scott Stamps and Graham Ward - in their starting line-up.

The inexperience in the Harriers back four showed early on as debutant Nicky Summerbee split them open with a through ball for Matthew Williams who tucked his shot beyond John Danby into the far corner of the net.  Harriers were behind and facing another uphill struggle with barely three minutes on the clock.

Harriers composed themselves, however, and got back into the game enjoying the lion's share of the possession but without really troubling Sean Bowles in the home goal.  A Simon Russell corner from the right was only half cleared and fell to Jake Sedgemore on the edge of the penalty area but his volley was well saved by Bowles and cleared to safety before any Harriers player could react.

At the other end a free-kick from deep on the left found Adie Smith at the far post who outjumped three Harriers defenders and headed across the face of goal.  A long ball over the top caused problems for the nervous-looking Osborne who was held off by Danny Davidson who got in a great shot that Danby did well to push over the bar.

As the half wore on Terry Fleming went close with a gently lofted shot that drifted wide of the far post after Lee Thompson's shot had been blocked and then when Tamworth failed to deal with a Russell free-kick from the right Sedgemore's cross from the left was headed just wide by Andy White.

Two minutes after the break Harriers got the reward for all of their first-half possession; a long ball was flicked on by Thompson who did well to out-jump Peter Folkes to reach it and White hammered the ball past Bowles from a narrow angle to record his first goal since his return to the club.

Harriers went on to dominate the game but could not capitalise upon the chances that they created and always looked vulnerable to a sudden breakaway.  The best chance fell to Russell; unmarked in the penalty area he took three touches to control Blackwood's low cross and was unable to bat Bowles who recovered to save at his feet.  Gareth Sheldon was put in by White who slipped the ball through the inside-right channel but the winger's shot was deflected and Bowles was able to grab it above his head.

At the death Paul Smith, who had come on for the injured Blackwood, hit a 25 yard free-kick that Bowles got down well to to push away for a corner, although it was going wide, but Harriers couldn't convert yet again and then deep in stoppage time Davidson found himself in the clear but he poked his shot wide into the side netting.