They almost came close to scoring

Two teams ran out of a tunnel and eventually they ran back into it.

On a freezing Tuesday night, that heralded the onset of Winter, Kidderminster Harriers played out a dreary 0-0 draw with Tamworth at Aggborough.  Tamworth lined up with former Harrier's Simon Russell, Simon Brown, Neil Mackenzie and Michael Wylde with Iyseden Christie on the bench.

The first half unfolded and neither team looked like scoring with Neil Mackenzie going closest for the visitors after thirteen minutes when he fired a low drive through a crowd of both red and blue shirts.  The shot squeezed agonisingly wide of Dean Coleman's goal.

Harriers had a golden opportunity of their own after just over half an hour when Ryan Charles was pushed off the ball by a clumsy Dominic Langdon and Chris McPhee lined up the penalty.  An indecisive, nervous looking run-up saw McPhee strike the ball to Danny Alcock's left, but much unlike the corresponding tie in August, Alcock saved the spot kick easily.

The loose ball was crashed quickly out for a corner, which was swung in and following a short scramble the ball fell to Damian Spencer who powered the ball high over the bar.

Thankfully the half time break came after what seemed an eternity and the hope that the second half would provide was uppermost in the freezing cold supporters minds.

Tamworth came out for the second half looking slightly more dangerous and after just two minutes in Nick Wright rose above the home side's back line to head marginally over the bar - much to the disappointment of one away supporter in particular who had started celebrating jubilantly but far too prematurely.

With sixty one minutes gone it came time for a change.  Darryl Knights charged on in place of David McDermott looking to make an immediate impact and he did add some much needed energy to the home side and he almost got his wish just moments later when he found himself free on the edge of the eighteen yard box.  He drove the shot goalward but Alcock saved the away side's clean sheet, leaping to push the ball agonisingly over the bar.

Iyseden Christie became the fifth ex-Harrier on show, replacing Nick Wright after seventy one minutes.  He received what I think was some undue criticism from a section of the home support after making over one hundred appearances in three spells with Kidderminster.

For the Harriers Nathan Hayward came on for John Finnigan - who'd looked like a child lost in Ikea throughout the game.  Christie was immediately involved as he received the ball on the edge of the box and sent his shot flying into the scoreboard, reminiscent of a certain FA Trophy penalty shoot-out at Aggborough two years ago.

And basically that was the total sum of the action tonight.  A very poor game from our point of view again saw passes going astray just as they did on Saturday against AFC Wimbledon and a total lack of any ability to score.

Actually there seemed to be a total lack of ability to even get a shot on target.

REFEREE:

Mr J Collin Liverpool