KIDDERMINSTER Harriers and Crawley Town played out a goalless, and fairly lifeless 0-0 draw in the sun at the Broadfield Stadium today; but with a lot at stake it was odd that both teams left perfectly happy!

With just 90 minutes in football terms between Harriers and their FA Trophy Final, even boss Mark Yates admitted that getting through the encounter all present and correct was the main objective and given Crawley had similar ideas, a draw was a fair if not predictable result.

The hosts were deducted ten points for entering administration in the summer and at one stage during pre-season it looked like they'd barely get to field a full side of the first match of the campaign, let alone finish the season off. If you take away the deduction then Crawley's story is one of the most successful in the league. They would have theoretically finished tenth on the strength of their results but, ten points were docked and as it were, Harriers sealed a top-ten finish with this result whilst the Red Devils got the one point it looked like they'd need to secure their place in next season's Blue Square Premier.

There were a few surprises when the team sheets were handed out; youngster Scott Eaton was handed his first-ever start for the club, starting in the same side as Luke Reynolds and Gary Hay today as Iyseden Christie and James Constable were both rested.

The stats would tell you technically that Hay and Reynolds had two of the game's better chances but that may be a little harsh if not inaccurate on the hosts - a superb stop from Stuart Whitehead on the line was all that stopped Magnus Okuonghae from giving his side the lead.

Tony Scully is a danger at this level and understandably he was one of the biggest threats for Town today - he twice shot at Taylor in the Harriers goal in the first period but Taylor continued to deny, and got down well to save also from Stephen Evans just two minutes after the break.

Mark Creighton - another outstanding performer on the day - came close with a towering header from Jon Brady's 70th minute corner that landed on the roof of the net but today's game seemed destined to not witness a goal.

So a top-ten league finish and a Trophy Final is what Harriers can take from a season's work - eyes can now finally be allowed to be all on Wembley and the big game on May 12.

Crawley Town: Hamer, Judge, Okuonghae, Woozley, Bull (Hiley 46), Blackburn, Stephen Evans (Berry 80), Bulman, Scully, Blackman (Richardson 58), Benyon.
Subs Not Used: Rendell, Tolfrey.

Harriers: Taylor, Sedgemore, Creighton, Whitehead, Blackwood (Hurren 31), Brady, Penn, McGrath, Reynolds, Eaton (Russell 62), Hay (Christie 79).
Subs Not Used: Bevan, Howarth.

Attendance: 1,664

Referee: D Sheldrake (Midlands)