United stayed unbeaten with a hard fought 0-0 draw at Kidderminster tonight

With Rufus Brevett back in the starting line up as the only change to the side that won at Forest Green United started confidently and created the first opportunity after eight minutes as Duffy headed over at the far post from a hanging cross from Chris Hargreaves. Burgess then curled a free kick just too high on eleven minutes and it was all yellow as the visitors pressed.

Home keeper Bevan made a very good save to stop a Quinn header on twelve minutes after a short corner routine and a Burgess cross, and the home side were restricted to swift breaks to try and relieve the pressure. Burgess was finding space, and his range, in midfield and with Duffy winning every header when the ball went longer there were plenty of encouraging signs for the heaving, chanting mass on the away terrace.

Sadly that promise didn't lead on to greater things and the game somehow became wrapped up in a series of niggles and petty fouls around the half hour mark as tempers began to fray and bookings started to take precedence. The most telling of those was the one shown to Rob Duffy after a tangle with Blackwood, which is his fifth of the season and will mean a suspension for the game at Cambridge.

One sour note came as Basham and Brevett collided half way through the half, with the left back unable to continue in the second half and Matt Day replacing him. Burgess then succumbed to injury after 52 minutes and in the period while United were regrouping the home side had their best patch of the match to date.

That all changed though just after the hour as Paul Bignot went one step too far with those niggly fouls, and went over the top of the ball to bring Hargreaves to ground. It was a very poor challenge and ref Lewis had no option other than the red card.

The last time United faced ten men, against Grays, they struggled to break their opponents down, and having looked comfortable for much of the game United now had new impetus but once again could find no answer. Duffy forced Bevan into another save with a header from Pettefer's corner and then Odubade fired wide with a volley after Duffy and Basham had flicked on.

It was hard work, and both sides were giving it their all without really threatening either goal. Harriers were defying their numerical disadvantage. There was a nasty collision between Turley and Penn as the game went into the last ten minutes, but the last few minutes couldn't find a goal for either side.

Not a classic, and the first time The U's have failed to score, but not many sides will fancy a trip to a rejuvenated Harriers and that unbeaten run now stretches to fifteen games.

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Report Chris Williams. Pictures Darrell Fisher