Swifts 1, Harriers 0

STOURPORT Swifts inflicted Harriers' first pre-season loss of the summer.

Former Reds youngster Paul Hurrell bagged a first half winner.

Harriers had played a more experienced team in a 2-0 win over a young West Brom side in a behind the scenes game in the morning.

As a result, Kidderminster fielded a very young line-up at Walshes Meadow but did hand a start to former Le Havre hitman Amadou Alassanne.

Also starting were trialists Brendan Bunn, Luke Balmy, George Cater and Kieren Westwood.

Stourport, under new manager Mark Phillips, fielded a side which contained former Harriers youngsters Hurrell and James Hanson.

There was no lack of effort from both teams but very little pattern.

Alassanne showed fleeting touches of his quality but the first chance fell to Reece Hales in the 21st minute but he headed wide at the near post.

Swifts were troubled by a corner and Alassanne teed up Kennedy Digie but his shot was blocked.

But the hosts were certainly keen to make an impression against their highly-rated rivals and looked at attack with purpose.

They get their breakthrough in the 37th minute when Harriers failed to deal with a Joe Phillips corner and after a desperate scramble, Hurrell pounced on a rebound to tuck the ball into the back of the net.

Harriers rang the changes at half-time, with Jake Green, Jordan Jones and Gurjit Singh on with more changes to follow.

With both sides making substitutions, there was little goal mouth action in the game but substitute James Hancocks saw a well-struck left-footed effort fly over the bar in the 68th minute.

Swifts were being well-marshalled by centre back Jamie Willetts and were repelling Harriers' attacks.

Gurjit Singh forced a save from Dominic Richards as Kidderminster cranked up the pressure.

He could have secured a draw at the end but he was denied by Stourport's vigilante keeper at the death.

Harriers: Bunn, Millinchamp, Westwood (Hancocks, 61), Forsyth (Jones, 46), Digie (Woolley), Williams, Palmer, Balmy, Alassanne, Hales (Singh, 46), Sweeney (Green, 46).

Stourport: Richards, Hanson, Hickman, Robinson, Wollacott, Hurrell, Shilvock, Parker, Phillips, Rogers, Willetts.

Subs: Wager, Hudson, Pitt, Marshall (gk), Rodrigues, Beaumont.