The champagne remains on ice for Burton Albion after the Blue Square Premier leaders missed the opportunity to confirm their promotion to the Football League with a 2-1 defeat at Kidderminster.
Lee Morris gave Roy McFarland’s side the lead late in the first half but second-half mistakes from Burton goalkeeper Saul Deeney saw play-off chasing Kiddy equalise and then claim the winner 10 minutes from time through substitute Brian Smikle.
Torquay’s draw at Salisbury and Histon’s failure to beat Rushden & Diamonds means that only Cambridge can now catch Burton who would still confirm the title with a draw at home to Oxford on Friday.
The game at Aggborough was punctuated only by three scrappy goals and one consolation for Burton is that they now have the opportunity to cement their elevation in style and in front of their home fans.
The visitors were disappointing throughout but took the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Aaron Webster’s free-kick was headed back across goal by Jake Buxton and a combination of Lee Morris and Martin Riley contrived to produce the game’s opening goal. Morris got the first contact on the ball but it took a touch off Riley before the defender too was bundled into the goal.
Hearts were in Burton mouths when Matthew Barnes-Homer burst through but the striker shot too close to Deeney at the start of the second half.
The leaders had been warned and, just two minutes later, Barnes-Homer finished from close range after a mistake from Deeney.
The draw was still enough for Burton, with neither Torquay, who had already missed two penalties against Salisbury, nor Histon winning, but, 10 minutes from time, the visitors conceded again.
Smikle’s volley was too hot to handle for Deeney and the keeper could not atone for his error as the ball eluded his flailing arms and crossed the line.
Results elsewhere meant that Burton required only a draw to confirm promotion, but, despite four minutes of added time, Albion failed to create even the hint of an equaliser, leaving the celebrations, already overdue, to wait for at least another four days.