HARRIERS held on for their first draw of the National League North season as they drew 1-1 with Leamington on a day that Jim Kellermann saw red.

The Reds came into the match on the back of three straight wins but were behind early at Aggborough as a lively Leamington matched them in all departments, going ahead through Kiaman Anderson.

Russ Penn's charges responded well and levelled ten minutes later as Koby Arthur's header saw him net on his first start for the club.

The two sides then cancelled each other out in a competitive, cagey draw - one disappointment for Harriers being the needless dismissal of Kellermann in the second half having come on as a substitute, given his marching orders for an alleged kick out at Joe Clarke.

The visitors were a lively attacking force throughout and were in front inside four minutes, Jack Edwards’ shot well saved by goalkeeper Luke Simpson, with Anderson on hand on slam home the loose ball.

Arthur’s goal, completing a remarkable personal story of recovery after time out with injury, arrived ten minutes later after a fine cross from Sam Austin was nodded into the net at the far post to cue some great goal celebrations.

The influential Osborne then saw an effort fly wide, with  a Lane header closer to the interval keeping Paul Holleran’s men on top – Osbourne again in the attack just after the restart with a driven effort into the side netting.

Shy of a Prosser effort, deflected and saved well by Jake Weaver, and another good stop to keep out a low Austin cross, the second half chances were very much at a premium, Kellermann glancing a header over six minutes before being given his marching orders. kicking out in front of the referee to the award of a straight red card.

In the end it was the visitors who ended the game as brightly as the started it, leaving Harriers grateful for their point – Jim O’Connor saying as much after the game, admitting: “On how the game went, a draw was about right and we’ve obviously finished the game with ten men.

“Coming away with a point, we’ve got to take it and move forward. We’ve been excellent as of late but weren’t quite at the races today. I will say the character from the lads to come from a goal down again was great.”

HARRIERS: Simpson, Penny, Richards, Lowe, Montrose, Austin, Morgan-Smith, Hemmings (Maxwell 81), Taylor (Moyo 61), Prosser, Arthur (Kellermann 67)