STOIC boss Josh Gowling vowed to keep calm and carry on despite Hereford fans calling for him to leave during today’s 1-1 draw at Kidderminster Harriers.

Levi Andoh marked his Bulls return with a goal on the hour to cancel out Amari Morgan-Smith’s tidy finish across goal midway through the first half.

There were precious few chances in a competitive but scrappy clash in which boos rang out from the Hereford end at half-time either side of occasional chants for Gowling to go.

Asked how he reacts to that, Gowling replied: “I don’t, I just carry on with my job of trying to pick up points and move us up the table.

“Pressure is privilege. When I took over we were nowhere near the position we are in now, the club is financially better off but when we have put in (the) performances (we have) over a period of time, that is not acceptable.

“The fans are not happy with it and that is because over the past couple of years our performances have raised the bar at this club.

“It is my job to build back that trust, if the fans don’t have that trust with me at the moment that is fine, I have big shoulders. We will carry on, push forward and work hard.

“The players have had big smiles on their faces, even with what has been going on in the past eight weeks. They have trained hard, I have worked hard, I love this football club and will do everything I can to make sure we get to where we need to go.

“We will be better than we were last season and will finish higher than we did last season. If they are not going to stick with us for now, that’s fine, but we will keep going, go from strength to strength and prove some people wrong.”

The match was closely contested with the hosts having slightly more of the play.

Morgan-Smith guided across goal and inside the far post from Jack Bearne's cutback after Tom Owen-Evans had won the ball back on the left in the 23rd minute.

Joe Leesley's drive across goal from an acute angle almost doubled Kidderminster's lead on the stroke of half-time but Miles Storey's introduction gave Hereford a different outlet in the second half.

Storey's cross was missed by Kane Thompson-Sommers but Andoh roared into the box, hitting into the ground with his shot looping in past the arm of keeper Tom Palmer who seemingly expected a straight shot.

Morgan-Smith went close to connecting with Bearne's low swinging centre shortly after the equaliser and despite the game opening up late on, chances remained at a premium.

Gowling added: “They took the first half, we were a bit slow coming out of the blocks and they took control but we had a chat at half-time and changed the shape. That seemed to give us a lift and we got Miles running in behind.

“I am really proud of the boys, coming from behind after the tough eight weeks we have had – the emotional highs and lows of the FA Cup, 12 injuries, games off all the time, a three-week break before the game on Boxing Day.

“To come here and put in that second-half performance and get a result was really pleasing so I am happy.”

Bulls: Visser; Andoh, Pendley, Haines (c), Evans; Thompson-Sommers, Lloyd (Hanson, 72); McLean (Storey, h-t), Rus, Pinchard; Amadi-Holloway (Barnett, 70).

Unused subs: Thompson, Holmes.

Attendance: 3,421, including 545 away supporters.

Referee: Matthew Scholes.