Bromsgrove Rovers 0 Kidderminster Harriers 4

BROMSGROVE'S encouraging pre-season programme suffered a hitch with a 4-0 home defeat to rivals Kidderminster Harriers.

Although the scoreline slightly flattered the visitors, Rovers could not quite contend with the superior passing of Mark Yates's Harriers.

An end-to-end start saw Paul Carty hack Neil Howarth's header off the line before Nathan Lamey's deflected effort was well held by Kidderminster keeper Scott Bevan.

There was nothing Rovers stopper Chris Taylor could do about the opening goal on 15 minutes, however, with midfielder Jake Sedgemore smashing in a 25-yard screamer after good work by Jamie McClen.

Once again Bromsgrove refused to lie down and came close to grabbing an instant equaliser when Bevan tipped over Kevin Banner's left wing cross-shot at full stretch.

At the other end Joe Williams had the right hand post to thank for sparing his blushes when his sliced clearance rebounded to safety off the upright.

While Rovers introduced half a dozen substitutes in the second half, Harriers had fresher legs after replacing nearly all of their first half line-up.

Former Redditch winger Michael McGrath added Kidderminster's second goal just after the hour mark with a close range finish after Russ Penn's through-ball sprung the suspect offside trap.

Paul Lloyd replaced ex-Harrier Daire Doyle midway through the second period and his first involvement was to send over a cross which Richard Burgess nodded narrowly wide.

Bromsgrove's best move of the match soon followed with Delton Francis cleverly playing in Riad Erraji for a solid strike which Bevan beat away brilliantly.

Young striker Scott Eaton made it three for Harriers on 73 minutes with a cracking piledriver into the top corner from 30 yards.

And former West Bromwich Albion legend Bob Taylor, on trial with Kidderminster, completed the scoring on 80 minutes by heading in a cross from Jonny Harkness.

Bromsgrove: Chris Taylor, (Dean Coleman 46), Chris McHale, Joe Williams (Carl Heeley 46), Paul Carty, James Smith (Liam McDonald 46), Kevin Banner, Daire Doyle (Paul Lloyd 65), Wayne Dyer, Mark Benbow (Riad Erraji 46), Nathan Lamey (Delton Francis 46), Richard Burgess.

Referee: W Barrett.

by Mat Kendrick