HARRIERS 1 WBA 1

FORGET Scott Dobie's quick two-goal double and this was another highly promising pre-season display from Kidderm-inster Harriers.

They more than held their own against full-strength West Bromwich Albion who were playing Premiership football last season.

In front of an impressive 4,929 crowd, Harriers took the lead and looked good value for a win until the final 10 minutes when Gary Megson's Baggies turned on the class.

But once again Ian Britton's trialists gave him more food for thought after a 1-1 draw with top-flight Leicester at the start of the week.

Forward Kyle Lightbourne, who had Harriers' two best first-half chances, created the 50th-minute opener with an excellent dummy and cross that was turned home by Albion wing-back Bernt Haas under pressure from Sean Flynn.

But substitute Dobie, always a thorn in the side of Harriers when at Carlisle, finished off two superb assists from Welsh international Jason Koumas to send the 2,500 travelling fans home happy.

Though Albion often enjoyed the bulk of the first-half possession, Harriers defended doggedly with Craig Hinton in particular doing a fine job at the back.

It allowed Harriers to carve open two opportunites for Lightbourne who maybe should have done better with the first on 12 minutes.

The former Walsall man sent a free header straight at keeper Russell Hoult from Kenny Coleman's fine corner.

Coleman, again impressive on the right-hand side, then supplied a useful low cross on the half-hour mark and Lightbourne cleverly fashioned an opening for himself, only to slide the ball just wide.

Albion finally tested Harriers' Stuart Brock five minutes later though he was equal to the challenge with a smart diving save to thwart Danny Dichio's powerful header.

At the other end, striker Matt Lewis continued to show flashes of his promise with a cheeky edge-of-the-box chip close to half-time that landed on the top of a relieved Hoult's net.

Britton's men gave an inspired showing for much of the second half, driven on by Switzerland cap Haas's unfortunate early strike.

Lewis almost added a quick second when his 20-yard free-kick clipped the crossbar after a surging run from his own half had been halted by another Wales star, Andy Johnson.

Sub Bo Henriksen failed to get a firm touch on Hinton's devilish cross on 63 minutes and the impressive defender was substituted not long after.

Former Harriers favourite Lee Hughes also entered the action to a warm welcome from both sets of fans and quickly forced Brock to tip a fierce drive into the side netting.

However, it was Dobie Harriers had to watch out for, though only after Danny Williams's stunning 70-yarder from a drop ball had so nearly caught out Hoult.

Koumas engineered the Albion equaliser on 81 minutes with a precise through-ball that Dobie expertly guided around Brock and into an empty net.

Just a minute later, shell-shocked Harriers were caught out by Koumas's left-wing cross and a close-range bullet header from Scotland international Dobie.

An excellent finger-tip save from Brock pushed Neil Clement's last-minute thunderbolt free-kick onto the bar as the Division One side exerted more pressure in an entertaining match well refereed by Wolverley's Mick Fletcher.

But this was still an outstanding display from the Aggborough men and the two late goals may just teach them a valuable lesson - exactly what pre-season is all about.

HARRIERS: Brock; Hinton (Smith 69), Willis, Stamps; Coleman, Bennett (Ward 62), D Williams, Flynn (Parrish 72), Narada (Shilton 46); Lightbourne (Henriksen 62), Lewis (Wilding 86). Sub not used: Ayres.

ALBION: Hoult; Sigurdsson, J Chambers, Gilchrist; Haas, Johnson (O'Connor 69), Gregan, Koumas, Clement; Hulse (Hughes 74), Dichio (Dobie 61). Subs not used: Murphy, Wallwork, Roberts, A Chambers, Dyer.

ATTENDANCE: 4,929