Harriers' hopes of success in the Setanta Shield were brought to an end at the first hurdle, but not before they had given one of their best footballing performances of the season so far.

Not wanting to risk injuries and suspensions ahead of the forthcoming FA Cup tie against Cambridge United, Harriers made a number of changes to the side with Dean Coleman, Michael Bowler, Dean Bennett, Darryl Knights, Stefan Moore and David McDermott all coming into the starting line-up.  There was also a place on the bench for youth team midfielder Nathan Hayward.

Harriers started brightly in the misty conditions, passing the ball around well, but it was The Brewers who took the lead after just five minutes; Shaun Harrad left unmarked to head in at the near post from a left-wing corner.  Burton had a lucky escape after 13 minutes, goalkeeper Saul Deeney charged out of his penalty area to meet Moore who was racing clear of the home defence and brought him down.  The referee saw fit to only show the yellow card, however, when most in the ground were expecting to see a red.

Moore was involved again midway through the half, intercepting a poor back-pass and setting Knights away on the left; he found McDermott who got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Bennett who fired over from close range.  The equaliser came after 25 minutes; McDermott received the ball on the left and cut inside his marker before hitting a shot that deflected up and looped over Deeney into the back of the net.

Late in the half Coleman pulled off a great save to tip over a close-range snap shot from Harrad who found himself unmarked again to get on the end of Paris Simmons' low right-wing cross. Three minutes before the interval Moore's flick-on from a long clearance fell to Tony James whose back-pass was way too short and was intercepted by Knights who took the ball around Deeney and rolled it into the unguarded net.

After the break the home team drew level after just four minutes, again from a left-wing corner.  The ball found its way to Aaron Webster beyond the far post who headed it back across goal to Ryan Austin who stabbed a low shot past Coleman.  The lively McDermott, who was doing his best to force his way into the reckoning for a place in the team on a regular basis, drew a save from Deeney just past the hour mark with a 30-yard effort.

Midway through the half McDermott was again at the heart of events as his pass set Bennett away on the left, he then advanced to take the return pass before hitting a 25-yard shot that Deeney did well to turn round the post for a corner.  As the game headed towards extra time Greg Pearson went close to grabbing a winner for Burton but his shot struck the crossbar.  Five minutes from time the home team did get the winning goal; Jody Banim beating the wall and Coleman with a well-struck free-kick from beyond 25 yards out.