ACADEMY manager Steve Guinan believes Kidderminster Harriers can take plenty of positives from their FA Youth Cup defeat to Blackpool.

The Aggborough youngsters were beaten 2-1 by their Championship opponents in the third round, the furthest stage they have reached in the competition.

Connor Perry-Holmes brought the sides level after the break but Blackpool went on to secure victory watched by 311 supporters.

But Guinan, who oversees the club’s academy, reckons there is a bright future for the Harriers prospects.

“I thought the players were excellent,” he said. “There’s such a close spirit among the group, they’re all in it together.

“Their endeavour, attitude, work-rate and spirit to get back in the game, to fight all the way to the last whistle, was fantastic.

“The standard has been set now. We know how well we can do as a group and we’ve got to aspire to achieve that again over the next few years.”

The former Harriers striker added: “I felt that if we were to go out on Wednesday, we were to go out in style and let Blackpool know that they’ve been in a right old game.

“On another night we might have got ourselves ahead, especially in the first-half.

“We had enough goalmouth action but the ball just didn’t fall for us — it was blocked on the line a lot and we couldn’t force it over.

“Goals change games and if we could have got our noses in front at some point they’d have really been on the back foot.

“Regardless, the lads have got to feel extremely proud of themselves to reach this stage, especially as we were expected to go out in the previous round against Burton.

“It was great to see so many people come to watch the biggest game of these players’ careers so far too.”

n Kidderminster Harriers Independent Supporters Trust (KHIST) are to revamp their successful 2020 Lottery.

The fund-raising initiative was set up in 2011 in the aftermath of Harriers’ financial worries and has raised £94,000 for the club.