KIDDERMINSTER Harriers continued their pre-season preparations at the weekend with a useful 2-1 win over Halesowen Town at The Grove.

The higher-level visitors enjoyed a fairly dominant first 45 minutes and were in front very early on.

Keziah Martin started and finished the move, winning the ball before passing to Ethan Freemantle who kept it well while advancing into the area.

He played in Sam Austin who saw a shot saved, but Martin reacted quickest and was on hand to fire home from close range after just three minutes.

Halesowen did have a chance to draw level when Richard Gregory fired against the post seven minutes later, before Omari Sterling fired off target at the other end.

Freemantle tirelessly pounced on a lose ball before being denied by goalkeeper Dan Platt one on one, but Harriers weren’t to be denied a second six minutes later when Austin expertly turned home Sterling’s cross.

The second half was a little slower to get going in terms of chances, but on the hour some last-ditch defending from the visitors kept their two-goal lead in tact as a Harry White header for Halesowen was hooked off the line.

The Yeltz did reduce the deficit 17 minutes from the end; Harriers failed to clear their lines and some home persistence paid off as a loose ball was slammed into the net by new 18-year-old signing Josh Mussell.

A Harriers XI travel to Worcester City on Tuesday (7.45pm) before the first-team complete their pre-season on Friday night with the Aggborough clash against a Manchester United XI.