HARRIERS earned an encouraging draw against their neighbours from the Championship in an entertaining pre-season friendly at Aggborough.

Trialist Adam Dawson had fired the Reds ahead but City, who dominated the game, ensured it was honours even through a late Shane Lowry header.

A draw was the fair result as the hosts defender solidly against City's talented attackers.

Harriers fielded a strong starting XI with new additions Joe Clarke, Kelvin Langmead and Lathaniel Rowe-Turner all starting.

Trialists Dean Snedker, Dawson and Rob Taylor were also handed chances to impress.

City manager Gary Rowett brought his entire first team squad and planned to field two different line-ups in each half.

But he did field dangerous wide man Demarai Gray as well as first team regulars Andrew Shinnie and David Davis.

City saw a lot of the ball but struggled to open to the hosts, who were looking solid.

Lee Novak could have opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he pounced on a loose ball but stabbed his effort wide.

But Harriers, lead by the lively Reece Styche, looked dangerous. He got the better of Jon Grounds but his cross went out of play.

City nearly profited from a mistake by Snedker in the 14th minute, who rushed out to close down the on-rushing Gray, but the winger evaded the challenge and delivered. Cross which Joe Clarke cleared off the line.

The young shot-stopper attoned for his mistake when he dived to his left to block Novak's firm shot moments later.

But Styche was proving a handful and he nearly opened the scoring in the 20th minute but his effort flew agonisingly wide.

The dangerous Gray lit up the game with a pacey run but he slammed his right-footed effort wide in the 24th.

Clarke, who joined Harriers from Wrexham, saw a well-struck 25-yard lofted effort fly over the bar.

The hosts ended the half brightly and another good effort from Styche flew just off target.

City made 11 changes at half-time and brought on goal-getter Donaldson as well as Wes Thomas, who scored a brace in last year's friendly derby between the two sides.

Thomas nearly made an immediate impact in the 58th minute when he saw a rising effort fly over the bar.

The away side had been cranking up the pressure but Harriers took the lead in the 68th minute when Dawson punished a poor kick from Thomas Kusczack and leaky defending to rifle home the opener.

City responded well and Caddis saw a thumping first time effort curl away from goal.

Harriers made more changes, with Gurjit Singh and Jordan Tunnicliffe replacing the impressive Styche and Langmead respectively.

But Blues made it 1-1 in the 83rd minute when Lowry headed home from a well-struck Stephen Gleeson free-kick.

Donaldson could have won it for the away side at the death but shot straight at Snedker from a cross by Royston Griffiths.

But it was an encouraging display by new-look Kidderminster.

Harriers: Snedeker, Hodgkiss, Langmead (Tunnicliffe, 76), Rowe-Turner, Taylor (Kelly, 46), Verma, Clarke, Reffell (Green, 46), Reid (Sweeney, 66), Styche (Singh, 76), Dawson (Jones, 80).

Subs not used: Hales, Bunn.

Birmingham first half: Legzdins, Eardley, Spector, Robinson, Grounds, Davis, Brown, Cotterill, Demarai Gray, Shinnie, Novak.

Second half: Birmingham: Kuszcazk, Caddis, Morrison, Lowry, Gleeson, Griffiths, Arthur, Thomas, Maghoma, Donaldson.

Subs not used: Trueman, Harding, Cooper, O'Neill.

Referee: Derek Eaton.

Attendance: 2,801