AMID a series of negatives, there were positives to find from a game that had possibly the most bizarre ending football fans will ever witness.

With 71 minutes on the clock, Kidderminster Harriers boss Mark Yates led his players off the pitch to bring an end to a full-blooded pre-season friendly at county rivals Worcester City.

The reason was an off-the-ball incident, believed to have happened in the changing rooms during the second-half, and both clubs may now feel the wrath of Worcestershire Football Association depending on Worcester referee Dave Hine's report.

Whatever happens, this matter is unlikely to go away quietly and neither should it after 635 paying spectators were left wondering just what on earth was going on.

Even if the game was cut short, there was plenty of value for money on offer with Harriers scoring twice and City forcing a string of saves from the impressive giant in the visitors' goal, Scott Bevan.

But spare a thought for City striker Adam Webster whose game was cut short within a minute by a challenge from Harriers big centre-half Mark Creighton, who won the ball but appeared to catch his opponent's trailing leg afterwards.

Worcester boss Andy Preece was livid at the tackle with last season's top-scorer facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines if it is confirmed as ankle ligament damage -- however, no free-kick was awarded by match official Hine.

It gave the clash a nasty sting in the tail that eventually poisoned the contest but in the meantime there were plenty of reasons for Yates and Preece to look forward to their respective campaigns.

Despite missing centre-half Stuart Whitehead, rested ahead of the Conference opener against St Alban's on Saturday, Harriers looked a much tougher, uncompromising outfit than in previous seasons.

In particular, the engine-room pairing of the industrious Russ Penn and inventive Jamie McClen shone through in a side which boasts the experience of defender Jeff Kenna and youthful promise of winger Brian Smikle.

Although City are now going to be missing Webster, Mark Danks and the suspended Des Lyttle for their Nationwide North visit to Barrow, Preece has clearly built a strong defensive unit who boasted the best player on the pitch in skipper Chris Smith.

Goalkeeper Danny McDonnell smothered well from Andy White but Harriers took the lead from the resulting 20th-minute corner taken by left-back Jonny Harkness and headed in by Creighton, despite Tom Warmer's attempted clearance.

Bevan pulled off his first impressive save five minutes from half-time after Jai Stanley's 25-yard strike and then tipped over Adam Burley's effort.

Luke Reynolds and Michael Blackwood both called McDonnell into action early in the second period but Bevan also did well to deny Nick Colley who had raced clear.

However, Harriers made the second goal look easy when Penn chipped a quick free-kick forward and Blackwood found the space in the box to clinically volley home on 64 minutes.

Bevan was forced into an excellent final save from Stanley before the game became remembered for all the wrong reasons.

City: McDonnell, Sztybel, Burley, Smith, Pearce, Hodnett (Thompson 46), Stanley, Colley, Wilding, Webster (Wood 6), Warmer (Lyttle 63). Subs not used: Khan, Walker, Watkins, Langford, Bulmer, Cartwright, Preece.

Harriers: Bevan, Kenna, Harkness, Hurren, Creighton (Sedgemore 70), Penn, Smikle, McClen, Reynolds, White (Sturridge 59), Blackwood. Subs not used: Taylor, Russell, McGrath, Eaton, Howarth.