HARRIERS must try again on Tuesday night to get past league rivals Buxton in the FA Cup after a 1-1 draw on Saturday set up a replay.

The two sides netted a goal apiece in the second half in a tie Harriers controlled for long spells, the parity at the final whistle meaning Aggborough Stadium will host a replay on 1st October.

The winner will take their place in the Fourth Qualifying Round, one step away from a potential meeting with EFL League 1 and 2 opposition.

Harriers had gone into the game having made a raft of six changes, first club starts handed to on-loan striker Harry Iibbitson and ex-Wolves youngster Kam Kandola.

Jack Lambert, Reece Devine, Seb Thompson and David Davis were all also drafted into the starting line-up of what was a much changed side.

Ibitson was the focal point of the visiting display with an all-action performance that included a first goal in senior football for the teenager.

In a forgetful first half, he saw a header held comfortably by goalkeeper True Grant, Buxton’s best chance falling to Diego De Girolamo who nodded wide from close range, although Will Sault did see his close-range goal chalked off for a foul.

The start to the second half wasn’t much more eventful but, for the final half an hour, it was a different affair and a far more open Cup tie, Buxton taking the lead on 65 minutes after a treble Harriers sub left the visitors unsteady at a corner, a recycled ball eventually turned home by Kieran Burton.

The lad lasted just four minutes, however. Ibbitson had Harriers back level when he swivelled in the area to turn home Maz Kouhyar’s cross.

At 1-1, it was the Worcestershire outfit who finisher the stronger of the two teams. Ibbitson struck wide with another effort, while sub Amari Morgan-Smith had a header held.

In fact, it was Morgan-Smith who arguably should have won it for Harriers in the middle six added minutes. Another cross found him invitingly in front of goal, but his header came back off the upright before Joe Foulkes slotted the follow-up wide.

A reflective Phil Brown said at the final whistle: “I thought we controlled the game for long periods of time, but when Buxton made a couple of changes, I thought they had more of a threat going forward.

“When we equalised I thought it was one-way traffic again, so it was one of those Cup ties, end-to-end and it became exciting at the end.

“But it petered out into a draw when I thought, honestly, we should have won it.”

After Tuesday’s replay, Harriers will resume league action with the trip to Spennymoor Town.