Play offs go down the drain with last second goal.
Well almost.
We can still make it but we need to win both our remaining games against Rushden and the Orient with Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury and Hartlepool all losing theirs.
It's a tall order, it's achievable, it's bloody unlikely!
This was a game that proved the old saying. 1-0 ain't enough.
And so it proved, in the first half chances went begging and in the second we got bogged down in a midfield battle that needed a bit of inspiration to unlock.
Sadly there seemed to be no one capable of doing that. The game needed someone with the directness of Ian Foster to change it but he was never used.
The game started with Stuart Brock and Colin Larkin returning to the side and the Reds kicking the wrong way in a swirling wind.
Within seconds of the start Drewe Broughton had a severe ear wigging from referee Paul Alcock after pushing a Lincoln player in the chest.
It was another shove on a Lincoln player a few minutes later, this time from Scott Stamps, that almost lead to an opening goal for Lincoln.
From the free kick the ball was cleared for a corner. Grant Brown was allowed to get a header in that was eventually cleared off the line by Richie Appleby.
In our first attack it was Appleby who skipped past two defenders to push the ball through to Bo Henriksen whose screaming shot crashed against the foot of the post with the North Bank getting ready to erupt.
Abdou Sall was next to try his luck but his header from Richie's corner went well wide when it would have been easier to score.
The Reds were applying all the pressure now and making Lincoln look as poor as last weeks visitors, Southend.
Corner after corner was being won by the Harriers but we just couldn't seem to find a way through.
We should have taken the lead in the 26th minute, again through Sall, but Marriott in goal for City clawed away his powerful downward header from Appleby's corner.
Lincoln almost made the breakthrough themselves though when Hamilton broke through on goal only to see his shot blocked by Stamper when he only had Stuart Brock to beat.
The last chance of the half came from the disappointing Colin Larkin who ran onto another quality Appleby pass only to lift the ball into the hands of the quickly advancing Marriott instead of over him.
Five minutes before the break Ian Clarkson came on for Scott Stamps who had been struggling after a heavy challenge earlier on.
Stamps now starts his two match ban along with Drewe Broughton so that was the last time we will see him this season, and if the rumours are correct may be the last time in a Harriers shirt.
HT. 0-0
As said earlier Lincoln had tightened up their midfield and any chances we got were all from half chances. They had snuffed out the threat on the flanks and we ended up trying to play too much football in front of goal.
Both Larkin and Henriksen being guilty of trying to play one ball too many.
It was from a set piece that our goal came. Another Appleby corner was met by Sall, his fierce volley was pushed out by Marriott into the path of Broughton who made no mistake to pop it into the net from a couple of feet out.
City almost got one back after a bit of indiscipline from the Reds almost allowed them to score from the free kick.
Thorpe was fouled by Craig Hinton just outside the box and when Hinton tried to move away Thorpe locked his legs between his and bought him down. Players from both sides rushed in to sort it out and it took Alcock a couple of minutes to part them.
From the free kick the loose ball fell to Ben Sedgemore who's point blank shot cannoned off Brockie and out to be cleared to safety.
We were still struggling to make any headway against a resilient Lincoln who, to be honest, looked to be happy with keeping the score down to one figure.
Midway through the half it was Richie again who supplied Larkin with another opportunity to score but his weak volley was easily stopped by the keeper.
Larkin again was given another chance minutes later when he was set up by Broughton but his shot, although hit cleanly, was tipped over by Marriott.
Lincoln made a change then with a Molby style substitution when they bought on three players in one go but it didn't seem to make much difference to them.
It was us who should have rung the changes then with Foster coming on but it never happened.
With the time running out Drewe had what should have been the last chance for either side to score when his curling shot flew just past post.
It wasn't the last chance though.
That came in the very last nanosecond of time added on when a corner was floated in aimlessly and without being cleared to safety by us was gifted to Cameron who made no mistake in handing City an undeserved share of the points and us what could be our last chance of glory.
FT. 1-1
TEAMS:
Harriers.
Brock, Smith, Hinton, Sall, Stamps, Appleby, Williams, Bennett, Henriksen, Broughton, Larkin.
Subs;
Danby, Clarkson, Foster, Ducros, Shilton.
Lincoln City.
Marriott, Bloomer, Mayo, Brown, Bimson, Hamilton, Walker, Sedgemore, Buckley, Battersby, Thorpe.
Subs;
Horrigan, Cameron, Gain, Barnett, Camm.
CARDS;
Yellow. Harriers 0.
Yellow. Lincoln City 2. Walker, Mayo.
Red. Harriers 0.
Red. Lincoln City 0.
Referee; P Alcock (Surrey).
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