HARRIERS have been urged to show more of their self-belief after their 2-2 home draw with York City.

The Reds were twice behind against one of the division’s top sides but battled back for a point – leaving Assistant boss Jimmy O’Connor wishing the team would show more of that confidence.

“When you’re behind twice and get a draw, you take the positives and that’s what we’ll do,” said O’Connor, after watching goals from Keith Lowe and Jason Cowley earn Harriers a share of the spoils.

“I think the word ‘belief’ comes into it for us. When we play in spells and are really on the money, you see what a good team we can be. It’s showing that belief and really building on it, and showing that for 90 minutes.”

Harriers were unchanged for the visit of promotion-chasing City, with Freemantle again chosen to lead the line. Perhaps still nursing some of the disappointment from the way the clash against Hereford petered out, they were caught flat-footed and conceded from the game’s first chance; the lively visitors bagging the opener as Woods gleefully finished a Dyson cross from three yards out as the hosts found themselves outnumbered at the back.

While Austin did flash over with one shot not long after the goal, it was a half City controlled almost completely – their lead should have been doubled when Redshaw robbed the sloppy Moyo and took aim; Luke Simpson able to turn the effort away.

Just as Harriers were behind with the first chance of the half, they were level with the last of them – against the run of play, Austin’s cross was flapped at by goalkeeper Jameson, leaving Lowe with the task of heading the ball beyond him.

Any hopes Harriers had of beginning the second half were soon dashed – within six minutes of the restart they were behind once more as a clear handball in the area was punished with a penalty that York skipper Newton duly dispatched.

A second half ensued that much matched the first in the sense of the Minstermen’s overall control of the tie and Harriers fashioning half chances; Hemming seeing a shot blocked and Freemantle nodding over the bar from the former’s cross.

Yet thankfully for Harriers those parallels continued right to the night’s end and an equaliser that the team deserved for their industry if nothing else, Cowling fizzing Freemantle’s knock-down past Jameson, on the volley from 20 yards. Freemantle might have won it sensationally in the last couple of minutes, his curled finish dropping just wide.

Harriers: Simpson, Penny, Richards, Lowe, Moyo, Prosser (Cowley 72), Maxwell, Moyo, Austin, Freemantle, Montrose (Sterling 43), Hemmings.

Subs not used: Martin, Palmer, Arthur

Referee: Jon Kenny