Match report...
The sun was shining for this opening day fixture of the 2014/15 Vanarama Conference season with Imps' boss Gary Simpson handing debuts to Jake Caprice, Marcus Marshall and Jordan Burrow whilst Nick Townsend, Tony Diagne and Hamza Bencherif all commenced a second stint a Sincil Bank. Two more new faces, namely Sahr Kabba and Karl Ledsham were on the bench.
City kicked off attacking the Stacey West Stand and were the first to press with Jon Nolan picking out Bencherif with a cross from the left but the latter's header was saved by Danny Lewis low to his right.
In the 10th minute skipper Alan Power trod on the ball as he prepared to pull the trigger following good play by Caprice and Marshall down the right. Three minutes later Sean Newton won the season's first corner but this resulted nothing but a goal-kick to the visitors.
Bencherif headed a Newton cross over from the Imps' next sweeping move forward whilst at the other end Diagne was forced to divert a Kevin Nicholson free-kick behind for a corner which Townsend punched clear.
Midway through the opening period ex-Imp Josh Gowling cleared off the line from Bencherif after a great piece of play from Marshall saw him jink past three markers before chipping the ball into the danger area.
City's next attack ended with Ben Tomlinson dragging a low effort across the face of goal whilst a couple of minutes later Burrow was inches away from connecting with a Nolan through ball.
In the 34th minute a decent move down the left ended with Marshall winning a corner which the Harriers' defence easily dealt with and a couple of minutes later the visitors' first attempt at goal saw Townsend pull off an excellent save to tip behind a 25-yard effort from Craig Reid.
The half ended after one additional minute of play.
HT: IMPS 0 HARRIERS 0
Neither side made any changes during the break so it was as you were as Kidderminster restarted proceedings.
The first action of the second period saw Marshall win a corner on the right but Newton's near post delivery was cleared. With the ball out of play for a City throw, Harriers made a switch with Marvin Johnson replacing Ahmed Obeng.
A minute later a long range Reid volley forced Townsend to back pedal and tip over but the corner was wasted and played straight out by Nicholson.
City's response saw Marshall and Caprice link up well together for another corner and when this was half-cleared Power appeared to be bundled over 20 yards out but referee Karl Evans was having none of it and let play continue.
Nolan picked up a 59th minute booking for a lunge on Storer and when the resultant free-kick was played into the danger area, Townsend was on hand to clear with his feet.
A couple of minutes later Tomlinson was denied by Lewis at point-blank range following a great cross by Bencherif. Michael Gash for Craig Reid was Harriers' second substitution with the switch made shortly afterwards.
Arnaud Mendy replaced Alan Power for the Imps in the 67th minute with Nat Brown taking over the captain's armband. Brown was then on hand to divert a Johnson drive out for a corner following a rare quiet spell in the game.
Harriers' third and final change saw Reece Styche replace Nathan Blissett up front nd after another quiet spell Gowling picked an 83rd minute booking for a late challenge on Nolan.
Chances remained few and far between as Tomlinson fired well over and Marshall volleyed across the face of goal and out for a goal-kick. At the other end, and in the first of two added minutes, Gash went down in a heap with his appeals for a penalty being laughed off by the referee.
Sponsors Heineken selected Nick Townsend as their 'Man of the Match'
FT: IMPS 0 HARRIERS 0
LINCOLN CITY
26 Nick TOWNSEND
17 Jake CAPRICE
6 Tony DIAGNE
23 Nat BROWN
3 Sean NEWTON
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
14 Jon NOLAN
8 Alan POWER
22 Marcus MARSHALL
9 Jordan BURROW
11 Ben TOMLINSON
subs
7 Sahr KABBA
10 Karl LEDSHAM
12 Arnaud MENDY (for POWER 67)
16 Conner ROBINSON
1 Paul FARMAN
BOOKING: NOLAN (59)
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS
1 Danny LEWIS
2 Jared HODGKISS
30 Josh GOWLING
6 Chey DUNKLEY
28 Kevin NICHOLSON
17 Aman VERMA
4 Kyle STORER
18 Callum GITTINGS
14 Ahmed OBENG
13 Nathan BLISSETT
10 Craid REID
subs
8 Marvin JOHNSON (for OBENG 51)
9 Michael GASH (for REID 64)
11 Reece STYCHE (for BLISSETT 74)
15 Jamie GRIMES
19 Jasbir SINGH
BOOKING: GOWLING (83)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Karl Evans
ASSISTANTS: Ian Smedley & Declan Bourne
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Joe Simpson
ATTENDANCE: 2,598 (177 visiting supporters)
