STALEMATE NO GOOD FOR EITHER
IT ENDED honours even at Hayes Lane as promotion chasing Bromley and relegation-threatened Kidderminster Harriers shared the spoils – a result which probably suited neither side, for entirely different reasons.
The Ravens went closest through Michael Cheek’s 25-yard strike which sailed wide of the post in the second hald.
But Phil Brown’s Kidderminster could, and perhaps should, have stolen the points late on when Sammy Robinson skied a glorious chance over from 15 yards.
“There are no gimmies in the National League,” said Bromley boss Andy Woodman said of Harriers, who battled to a third straight draw.
“Kidderminster were never going to come here and give us as much space as we want and let us play our game.
“They were good value for what they were about and on the flipside although we were pushing we lacked quality in the final third. That said it was our fourth clean sheet on the spin and that is nothing to be sniffed at.”
A cagey first half took a while to open up with the only real moment of attacking quality shown on the half hour.
Ben Krauhaus’ low cross was bundled over the line via a combination of Cheek and Olufela Olomola but Cheek was deemed offside by the assistant referee amidst vociferous protestations from the Bromley players.
The second half saw a replication of the pattern of the first 45 with Kidderminster happy to be defensively compact and wait for their moment.
That moment looked like arriving eight minutes into the half when Gold Omotayo met Caleb Richards’ cross but he could only guide his header straight into the hands of Bromley keeper Grant Smith.
Chances were still few and far between but with eight minutes left, Kiddy substitute Jack Lambert saw his snapshot from the edge of the area well held by Smith as the visitors probed.
But the best of Kidderminster’s chances came in the final minute when Zak Brown’s low cross found Robinson 12 yards out but the midfielder skied his effort when it seemed easier to score.
FA Trophy semi-finalists Bromley too huffed and puffed in search of a late winner but failed to find the right quality at the right time to force the issue and leapfrog Barnet back into second place in the table.
Harriers boss Brown had mixed emotions afterwards, saying: “I’m frustrated not because I’m saying we deserved to win or lose, getting a point at Bromley is not a bad achievement.
“It’s a decent result as to a man we put bodies on the line but we could have taken the game to them. In the last 25 minutes we played how we really should have started.”
STAR MAN: Krystian Pearce (Kidderminster) ATT: 2,628 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Andrew Humphries