Harriers opened the new Blue Square Premier season with a point at Aggborough Stadium as they played out a 1-1 draw with newcomers Lewes.

With so many chances created by the hosts this afternoon, some will be disappointed that the end result wasn't a victory but Harriers can afford to be positive - they're one point better off than this time last season already!

The afternoon was pretty slow to get going - chances weren't flowing too freely early on but Andy Ferrell gave Lewes 'keeper Rikki Banks something of a scare as his looping cross into the box ended up needing to be tipped over the bar.

Full-back Michael Bowler enjoyed a useful debut in the Harriers back-line and he went close with 13 minutes played, chesting the ball down well in the area before blazing over the bar.

A little under ten minutes later Harriers found the first goal of the new term - Ferrell shipped in another good cross that skipper Mark Creighton hooked goalwards. The ball clipped off the woodwork, much to the glee of Justin RICHARDS who didn't need asking twice to stick it home.

Mark Yates' side were guilty of giving their opponents too much space on the ball - Kevin Keehan's Sussex outfit almost got themselves level five minutes later as Seb Wallis Tayler's cross was pulled back along the face of goal by James Fraser but there was no one on hand to stab in the loose ball.

With 36 minutes gone, new Harriers' goalkeeper Adam Bartlett was forced into a great save; the experienced Scott Taylor back-heeled the ball to Matt Geard inside the box who passed to Michael Standing. The ex-Walsall player looked a cert to score but England C International Bartlett was brave and got down well to smother the danger.

Just two minutes before the break, The Rooks got their equaliser. Geard put in another dangerous ball that fizzed along the face of Bartlett's goal - the only outstretched leg was that of Harriers' Dean BENNETT who was helpless to prevent putting into the back of his own net.

After the break the home side had a bucket-load of chances and Richards alone was unlucky not to have had at least a hat-trick.

Russell Penn fired a great ball into the box, with ex-Woking man Richards rising superbly to get great contact, only to be denied by a superb save by Banks.

On the hour mark, Darryl Knights fed the ball to Richards who showed great control before cutting inside and firing just over the bar.

Five minutes later, sub Matthew Barnes-Homer fizzed over a great, deep ball that an unmarked Richards chested-down well in the box, but the striker scuffed his finish, sending the ball off target.

With a little over 15 minutes left to play, Lewes' Taylor finally got in behind Creighton, judging superbly the bounce of the ball before controlling and firing at goal, forcing another good save from Bartlett.

Just six minutes shy of the close, it should have been 2-1 to Harriers as sub David McDermott latched onto the end of Richards' cross to toe-poke an effort towards goal - the ball going inches wide of the post. 

NEXT UP: CAMBRIDGE v HARRIERS - TUESDAY 12 AUG 7:45PM