York City have just 180 minutes left to secure themselves a place in this season's play-offs, but what odds on them leaving it to the final seconds of the last game before realising their dream.

With the way the club have battled through 11th-hour deadline after 11th-hour deadline off the field, you wouldn't bet against them following the same route on the field in the nail-biting race for the four play-off places.

Frustratingly, the Minstermen could, and perhaps should, have already booked their place, but a run of three points from a possible 12 has seen them slip out of the automatic equation and the play-off places and down to ninth.

Yesterday's goalless draw with Kidderminster was good enough to move them back up to eighth and level on points with rivals Oxford - their hosts on an ever-increasingly vital final day - and Scunthorpe and a point behind Bury.

But everything seems set for a 'play-off decider' being played out in front of a packed Kassam Stadium on May 3 - and it would be just another thrilling act being played out in the turbulent life of York City.

The City squad seemed to have been playing their better football when the future of the club was in doubt and even climbed to third on the day the Supporters' Trust assumed control.

However, since that historic day - marked with a 2-0 win over Southend - the players have looked edgy and tense, something that was more than evident against the Harriers, who were themselves bravely fighting to stay in promotion contention.

Giant Jon Parkin, who missed three good chances in the 1-0 defeat against Lincoln, was again the guilty party for failing to settle matters for City.

Twice in the first 45 minutes, he had the goal at his mercy only to send shots wide. While in the second half, an upright denied Keith Graydon as the Minstermen launched a desperate final 15-minute assault on the Kidderminster goal.

But there was just no way through for either the Minstermen or Kidderminster, who themselves will have left Bootham Crescent thinking they should have won having created clear openings of their own.

From the opening flourish, this match always looked like having goals in it, with City quickly out of the blocks as Parkin, Darren Edmondson and Graham Potter all had shots blocked with little over 90 seconds on the clock.

However, the pressure then seemed to grip the City players and it was Kidderminster who picked up the momentum with on-loan Walsall striker Andrew Bishop twisting and turning on the edge of the box before letting fly with a vicious shot that goalkeeper Michael Ingham tipped wide.

Drewe Broughton, sent off in the reverse fixture this season, then missed two great chances as he headed straight at Ingham and then side-footed wide.

City countered with Lee Nogan having his teasing effort palmed wide, before the experienced Welsh front-man played his part in Parkin's two misses.

Nogan chased back to dispossess the impressive Danny Williams, with Richard Cooper spraying the loose ball to Parkin. The former Barnsley youngster found Anthony Shandran on the left before making the run into space to take the return pass, but despite taking it past Craig Hinton just inside the box and positioning himself well, he drilled his shot wide.

Parkin had the chance to make amends right on half-time when Nogan's delightful flick-on from Scott Jones' long ball put the 22-year-old clear on goal, but he could only scuff his shot harmlessly wide.

And it was Kidderminster who had the last word, with Stephen Brackstone forced to head off the line from Williams' curling corner.

Hopes the second half would see an improvement in quality and finishing never materialised, with Kidderminster on top. But solid York defending did limit the visitors to long-range efforts, before Sam Shilton dispossessed Chris Brass and forced Ingham into a superb save.

The near-miss seemed to spur City into life, with Graydon desperately unlucky to see his first-time volley from Nogan's flick come back off a post.

The on-loan Sunderland striker was also denied twice by 'keeper Stuart Brock as City stepped on the gas for the final 15 minutes, with Parkin again denied, this time by Brock.

However, City needed the despairing dive of Brackstone on the line to deny Inderpaul Khela seven minutes from time after Ian Foster slid the ball across.

With the day's other results going City's way, they left content in the fact that there is still more of this nail-biting thriller to play out before the final scene - hopefully at Cardiff later in May.

York City: Ingham 7, Edmondson 6, Cooper 7, Parkin 5, Hobson 7, Brass 8, Nogan 7, Shandran 5 (Graydon HT 6), Potter 6 (Cowan 58m 6), Brackstone 7, Jones 6. Subs not used: Wood, Wilding, Collinson. Booked: Jones 54min foul.

Kidderminster: Brock, Stamps, Williams, Hinton, Bennett (McAuley 81m), Parrish (Khela 81m), Broughton, Shilton, Flynn, Scott, Bishop (Foster 81m). Subs not used: Danby, Heath. Booked: Bennett 55m foul, Parrish 70m unsporting conduct, Scott 80m foul.

Referee: Mark Cowburn (Blackpool)

Attendance: 4,069.

Man of the match: Chris Brass Just gets the nod over Ingham and Hobson with superb display.

Updated: 10:32 Tuesday, April 22, 2003