Northwich Victoria 1 Harriers 1

Kidderminster Harriers manager Mark Yates saw his side squander an opportunity to rise to sixth position in the Blue Square Premier Division as they bagged a draw against Northwich Victoria.

Things did not exactly go to plan prior to kick off for the Harriers boss, Michael Blackwood and Michael McGrath were caught in the traffic jam on the M6 and missed the team coach, arriving just an hour before the start of the game.

Yates decided to play Blackwood but the midfielder had a quiet game. The Vics went into this fixture having taken just one point from their opening 12 fixtures, and in the early exchanges Kidderminster should have been out of sight.

Home keeper Ben Connett was at his agile best to deny Jonny Harkness and Justin Richards in quick succession, but could do nothing as Mark Creighton powered a header against the base of an upright.

Blazing James Constable was a handful for the home defence twice going close to giving Harriers the lead before turning provider for the opening goal on 35 minutes.

Russell Penn won the ball and found Constable on the halfway line.

The Harriers striker ran 35 yards down the right flank before curling a ball behind the retreating Vics defence where Justin Richards brought the ball under control before despatching it past the exposed Connett.

But the home side were level on 51 minutes when Chris Williams raced onto Kevin Townson's pass to fire a low drive past Mackenzie. Harriers responded well but efforts from Richards and Constable were wide of the target before Mackenzie went full length to keep out another Williams effort.

Constable could have won the game for Harriers late on but he failed to find the target from Michael McGrath's free-kick.

Northwich: Connett, Battersby, Wilson, Strong, Brown, Carr, Heslop, Maylett (Byrne 75 (Johnson 87)), Williams, Townson, Tait (Maamria 80). Subs: Murphy, Birch.

Kidderminster: MacKenzie, Bignot, Harkness (McGrath 60), Creighton, Whitehead, Blackwood, Ferrell (Barnes-Homer 75), Bennett, Penn, Richards, Constable. Subs: Coleman, Munday, Smikle.