Willenhall Town 3(3) v (1)1 Kidderminster Harriers

An eight-minute, three-goal, blast from Willenhall sank Harriers in a fiercely contested friendly at Noose Lane.

It was an opportunity for the fringe players in the squad to push for a place in the first team but trailing 3-0 inside the first half-hour none of the players involved looked like they would force their way into Stuart Watkiss' plans.  After a scrappy opening in which Harriers were twice put in trouble by dangerous crosses from Dominic Reece, the second headed over the bar by Lee Rollason, Town took the lead when a Reece free kick found the head of the unmarked John Quilt who scored from close range.

Before Harriers knew what had hit them they were two down.  Nicky Campbell's cross from the right was half-cleared by Chris McHale and fell invitingly to Reece who struck a low volley into the bottom corner from 20 yards.  Barely a minute later and Harriers found themselves further behind; Nicky Campbell won the ball in midfield and ran through the Harriers defence before shooting across John Danby and in off the far post.  Willenhall could have had a fourth a short time later but Quilt's 30-yard effort was held by Danby under the crossbar.

Harriers pulled a goal back before the break, Laurie Wilson's free-kick from the right found McHale at the far post who bundled the ball over the line from close range.

After the break Harriers began to control the game and spent most of the second half camped in the Willenhall half.  Despite all of their possession, however, they could not break down a resolute home defence.  Willenhall keeper Wes Cox kept his team's advantage intact with a string of crucial saves, the first from a dipping 30-yard Wilson shot that he tipped over the bar for a corner.  From the resultant corner kick McHale saw his shot hit the post.  McHale then headed over the bar after being picked out by Wilson's free-kick.

Willenhall had the ball in the net again ten minutes from the end; Quilt did well on the left to pick out veteran Martin Myers in the centre, his flick on reached Rollason at the far post who turned it into the net but the linesman's flag had been up for offside for some time.  In the closing minutes Harriers continued to press for a way back into the game; Russ Penn saw a long range shot pushed around the post for a corner; Gavin Hurren headed over from close range from another corner and then saw a stinging drive from the edge of the penalty area pushed away by Cox.