Omar Mussa struck two minutes from time as Sutton United rescued a 1-1 draw against Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough, denying the hosts a return to winning ways after Callum Stewart’s first-half opener.
Kidderminster made the stronger start and threatened after only three minutes when Zak Brown and Ben Crompton combined to find Callum Dolan, whose low effort was gathered by Spike Brits. Crompton was involved again shortly afterwards, delivering a low ball that Brown flicked towards goal for another save from the Sutton goalkeeper.
The breakthrough arrived in the 15th minute following an error from Brits. A ball forward appeared routine for the goalkeeper, but he failed to gather cleanly and Stewart reacted quickest to the loose ball to put Harriers ahead.
Paul Wotton’s side had opportunities to extend their advantage. Dolan was played through three minutes after the goal but sent his angled shot wide of the far post, before Reece Devine beat the offside trap and drove another effort narrowly wide in the 21st minute.
Sutton, whose manager Chris Agutter had made six changes following the midweek defeat at Tamworth, grew into the game as the first half progressed. Jordan Moore-Taylor’s volley from a corner was saved by Jack Wint before the Kidderminster goalkeeper made another good stop from Sam Folarin’s low effort to preserve the hosts’ 1-0 lead at half-time.
There was another important incident three minutes after the restart when Brits raced outside his penalty area and brought down Brown. Referee Richard Eley showed the Sutton goalkeeper a yellow card, with Brown moving away from goal towards the corner flag when the challenge was made. Dolan’s resulting free-kick then forced Brits into another save.
Kidderminster were forced into a change in the 61st minute when the injured Angus MacDonald was replaced by Reece Hall. Sutton introduced David Ogbonna for Folarin at the same time before Temi Babalola replaced Brandon Njoku a minute later, while Max Brogan subsequently came on for Brown for the hosts.
Sutton began to pose the greater threat as the second half progressed. Mussa fired wide from around 20 yards after Wint had punched clear, before the Kidderminster goalkeeper produced an important save with his boot to deny Babalola in the 77th minute.
The visitors finally equalised in the 88th minute. Emmanuel Osadebe played the ball into Babalola, who laid it into Mussa’s path, and the midfielder stepped beyond a challenge before driving his finish past the advancing Wint and into the corner. It was the second successive Saturday on which Sutton had rescued a point with a late equaliser.
The draw left Kidderminster eighth with 19 points from 12 matches and extended their winless run to three games following defeats by Yeovil Town and Boreham Wood. Sutton ended Saturday 11th on 18 points and are now four league matches without a win, while captain Jake Taylor marked the afternoon with the 600th appearance of his senior career.
