A DOUBLE victory over the weekend got Kidderminster Harriers' pre-season campaign off to a useful start.

Harriers used all their first-week trialists in a 3-1 win at Evesham on Saturday and a 1-0 success in Stratford the next day.

John Williams, Eliot Paschalis and Graham Ward were all on target to help their chances of winning a permanent deal at Aggborough.

Kenny Coleman, Kevin Murphy, Craig Wilding, Narada Bernard and Mark Danks were the other trialists who clocked up 90 minutes of action.

But last season's top scorer Bo Henriksen (Achilles) and Lee Ayres (ankle) sat out the first two friendlies due to injury.

STRATFORD 0 HARRIERS 1

A late goal from former Wolves youngster Ward ensured Harriers did not rue some wasteful finishing at the Midland Alliance minnows.

It was a simple 83rd-minute tap-in for Ward following a skilful run from former Molineux team-mate Danks.

Both players were introduced at half-time, while much-travelled forward Williams was brought on earlier after youth-teamer Nick Heath hobbled off.

Dean Bennett played just behind a front two of Matt Lewis and Wilding to start with in stifling heat.

Wilding, who played just eight games for York last season after being released by Chesterfield, made the biggest impression in the first period.

The 21-year-old showed promise in both attack and midfield when pushed back but fired one of the best chances straight at keeper Wayne Starkey.

Wilding also set up another golden opportunity in the first half for Williams but he failed to hit the target.

Only a brilliant reflex save denied Sam Shilton from close range later on after the wideman latched onto Paschalis's cross.

The lively Williams was close with two headers as Harriers bossed the game and were rarely tested defensively.

Carl Wiggins, possibly Stratford's better player, fired one shot at John Danby after a good run.

But it was ex-Bradford player Danks's exciting burst seven minutes from time that finally opened the deadlock with diminutive midfielder Ward providing the final touch.

HARRIERS: Brock (Danby 46); Coleman, Gadsby (Smith 46), Murphy (Hinton 46), Stamps (Narada 46); Heath (J Williams 22), Flynn (D Williams 46), Parrish (Shilton 46); Bennett (Ward 46); Wilding (Paschalis 46), Lewis (Danks 46).

EVESHAM 1 HARRIERS 3

Three goals gave Harriers a good pre-season opener at Dr Martens Western Division Evesham on another hot day.

Lewis gave them the lead on 28 minutes with a fine turn-and-shot in the area before Bennett hit the crossbar with a header.

Wilding had a goal disallowed but Evesham, managed by former Harrier Phil Mullen, equalised early in the second half.

Jay Powell, also an Aggborough old boy, beat Danby with a looping header.

But a well-directed shot from trialist J Williams and a last-minute strike from ex-Walsall scholar Paschalis, supplied by Shilton's cross, decided the contest.

HARRIERS: Brock (Danby 46); Coleman (Smith 46), Gadsby (Hinton 46), Murphy, Stamps (Narada 46); Heath (Paschalis 46), Flynn (D Williams 46), Parrish (Shilton 46); Bennett (Ward 46); Wilding (Danks 46), Lewis (J Williams 46).