SATURDAY showed perfectly that you cannot judge any football match on raw statistics alone.
While Kidderminster Harriers hit the target four times at Aggborough, the Mariners failed to make home keeper Nathan Vaughan work all afternoon.
However, that says far more about the visitors' wastefulness in front of goal than the quality of their overall display.
In fact, Town were the better side for much of the Blue Square Bet Premier clash, dominating possession and forcing their hosts on to the back foot for large spells – particularly in the first period.
It was only in the final third of the pitch where the Mariners were lacking as their defence again proved how tough they are to break down.
After referee Kevin Johnson waved away noisy appeals for an early spot-kick when Aswad Thomas was pulled to the turf, Frankie Artus, Nathan Pond and Anthony Elding were all guilty of wasting gilt-edged first-half opportunities.
And it was a similar story after the break – Joe Colbeck hit the crossbar twice and Andy Cook blasted wide from six yards as the 375 Mariners fans in attendance gradually began to realise it wasn't to be their day.
It was 'as you were' for the Mariners at kick-off, with Messrs Scott and Hurst opting for the same XI which began the victory over Forest Green Rovers.
The only changes came on the bench where Greg Pearson made a welcome return from injury, and Ian Miller came in for fellow centre-half Simon Ford.
According to BBC and Sky, Town striker Liam Hearn was making a shock, early return from his Achilles injury, but there was no sign of last season's top scorer – who still has a leg in plaster – on the bench.
The hosts' Chey Dunkley headed a free-kick well wide in the fourth minute as the match began to settle.
But it was at the other end that we had the game's first big talking point – Thomas, at full pelt, tumbling in the box when under pressure from Danny Pilkington. The Town full-back looked bemused as Mr Johnson ignored his appeals.
It was 15 minutes before Town showed their first real glimpse of quality. Full-back Bradley Wood overlapped well down the right and clipped in a lovely cross for Artus to nod over from 15 yards out.
Moments later, home keeper Vaughan was on hand to push away a low Colbeck cross after the visiting winger had eased past Dunkley on the right flank.
Next it was Anthony Elding's turn to put the ball into the box, from the left, and the onrushing Pond powered a header over at the far post.
But it remained 0-0 as the clash passed the half hour mark, and Town keeper James McKeown had to be on his toes to deal with a low cross from Lee Vaughan. The Harriers full-back then eased past Artus and sliced a shot wide of McKeown's near post as the hosts came into the game.
Their first shot on target followed in the 35th minute as former Norwich City man Keith Briggs tried his luck from 25 yards, but McKeown gathered at the second attempt.
The Mariners hit back and had the game's best opportunity eight minutes before the break.
Cook forced the ball into the area and Elding found himself unmarked ten yards out with only Vaughan to beat. But the striker could only swing and miss with the goal at his mercy.
Back came Kidderminster and when Briggs met a cross from the right, the Town fans behind that goal held their breath, as his attempt drop inches wide of the post with McKeown beaten.
Full-back Vaughan popped up in the Town box to plant another header over the bar as the chances kept arriving in the run-up to half-time.
The second-half was only three minutes old when the Mariners could, and should, have been in front.
Excellent work down the left between Artus and Thomas presented the ball to Colbeck in the box and the winger somehow hammered his shot against the bar from six yards out. The rebound dropped back in the box and Cook sliced his attempt wide from similar range.
Mickey Demetrious then tested McKeown with a free-kick before James Vincent glanced a header wide in the box.
Sam Hatton joined the action when Wood limped off the field, but the match had become dis-jointed and Thomas became the first man into the referee's notebook thanks to a challenge from behind.
Returning striker Greg Pearson replaced Cook and within seconds the former Burton striker had blazed a decent effort wide from a tight angle.
But the Mariners were indebted to McKeown in the 68th minute when Briggs' diving header from close range was parried away superbly by the stopper.
The game had become stretched and Colbeck's goal-bound drive from the edge of the box was charged down before Kidderminster sub Ryan Rowe's tame shot from distance needed McKeown's close attention.
Hatton blasted a free-kick over the home crossbar and Artus earned an unjust yellow card for an excellent challenge in the final minute.
And there was still time for Greg Pearson to limp back off the field and Colbeck to leather another pile-driver against the upright before Mr Johnson ended a tough afternoon – not least for him himself.
Once again, the Mariners were solid, organised and largely in control.
But their lack of bite in an attacking sense will be a concern as the draws mount up.
