Kidderminster Harriers 0(0) v (0)0 Bristol Rovers

Harriers completed their home pre-season programme with a dull goalless draw against their old rivals from League Two Bristol Rovers.

A deserted Aggborough with barely 500 souls in attendance saw a low-key game with little goalmouth action or excitement.  Harriers knocked the ball around quite well  when they had it without creating much while Rovers enjoyed slightly more possession.

Steve Burton went close to breaking the deadlock after quarter of an hour with a 30-yard drive that Shaun Marshall did well to tip over the bar but there was little more to commend the game until the last ten minutes of the half.  Sloppy Harriers defending at a free-kick meant that Ali Gibb's cross from the right was missed by everyone in the penalty area and fell to an unmarked Jefferson Louis beyond the far post who despite having loads of time to pick his spot fired his shot straight at John Danby. Marshall came to Rovers' rescue again in the last minute of the half when he pushed Lee Thompson's low drive around the post for a corner.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, Rovers had most of the possession and neither side threatened to score.  Harriers' best chances came early in the half; Laurie Wilson, in for Martin O'Connor in the centre of midfield, opened up the Rovers defence with a pass for Simon Russell who cut inside his marker but then shot tamely straight at Marshall, then Gareth Sheldon beat the wall with a free-kick but Marshall was again able to gather the ball in comfortably.

At the other end Danby saved well from Steve Elliott and Gibb flashed a couple of shots across the face of goal but there never looked as if there was going to be any other result than a goalless draw.  For Harriers the plus point was the number of players who got through 90 minutes building up their fitness but on the downside they don't look as good without O'Connor in the middle of the park and they still need more support for Iyseden Christie in attack, trialist Gary McPhee may get another chance to impress in next weekend's final friendly at Hinckley United.