Harriers' wait for a win goes on after a late goal saw them held to a 1-1 draw at Gateshead's International Stadium.

Gary Whild made three changes to the side that fell to defeat against Wrexham in the previous outing - perhaps the most telling being in goal, where West Bromwich Albion youngster Alex Palmer was preferred to Dean Snedker.

There were two further changes up top; Andre Wright restored to the line-up in favour of Tahvon Campbell and Gurjit Singh drafted in to replace the suspended Reece Styche.

The game got going quickly and both Palmer and his opposite number, Sam Russell, were busy inside the first five minutes as Josh Gillies took aim with a shot for Gateshead that needed fisting away, Gurjit Singh just failing to put enough on his shot at Russell to cause serious danger.

The visitors kept the goal ticking over with another good chance on 20 minutes; winger Adam Dawson trying his luck from distance and again finding Russell in good form, the former Forest Green man diving to gather.

Harriers took what was arguably a deserved lead on 26 minutes when Singh's fantastic low finish beat Russell and flew into the bottom corner - Andrew Fox almost immediately doubling his team's lead with a firm attempt that the goalkeeper pushed to one side.

Gateshead made a quick start to the second half and could have been level inside three minutes when half-time substitute Jimmy Phillips played in Ryan Bowman who, inside the area, saw an attempted chip land just over Palmer's bar.

Five after the hour only the reactions of Palmer stopped Gateshead levelling, the Albion man getting down low to keep out what looked to be a certain goal from Bowman as the striker looked to sweep home at close range.

Harriers had done a superb job defensively of mopping up the Gateshead attack but their resistance was finally breached when Gillies, a constant threat, pulled another ball back at the by-line where Bowman was on hand to turn in his sixth goal of the season.

Harriers: Palmer, Hodgkiss, Rowe-Turner, Tunnicliffe, Fox, Verma, Clarke, Maxwell, Wright (Campbell 66), Dawson, Singh (Green 88).

Subs not used: Snedker, Jones, Dinsley.

Gateshead: Russell, Baxter, Chadler, Curtis, Clark, Shaw (Johnson 77), Gillies, Cranston, Bowman, Ramsden (Pattison 64), McLaughlin (Phillips 46) Subs not used : Woolston, Ramshaw.

Referee: Karl Evans (Wigan) Attendance: 800 (44 away)