Harriers again slumped to defeat against lower-grade opposition in their latest pre-season friendly at Conference North Nuneaton Town.

Steve Burr took a slightly different approach with this game and his starting line-up included eight players who are actually contracted to the club and just three trialists. Left-back Connor Franklin, formerly with Hinckley United, joined Paul Connor and Kevin Holsgrove as the only players looking to earn a contract in the starting eleven.

The ploy of using players who are most likely to be in the team come the trip to York on Opening Day looked like it might pay off as Harriers got on top early and should have taken the lead after just four minutes when Tom Sharpe saw his header from a corner saved by Nuneaton's trailist goalkeeper Danny Alcock.  Harriers continued to enjoy the majority of possession in the early stages but didn't really test the Nuneaton defence,including ex-Harrier Wayne Daniel, until eight minutes before the break.  Dave Hankin did well on the right to get in a cross to the far post that picked out Connor who headed into the side-netting.

Moments later the deadlock was broken; Lee Vaughan's cross from the right to the far post was headed across the face of goal by Keith Briggs to Holsgrove who headed against the frame of the goal, but Connor was following up and scored with a diving header from two yards out.  Nuneaton drew level with two minutes left in the half, however, when Matt Collins exchanged passed with Jimmy Marsden, slicing the Harriers defence open, and fired past Danny Lewis.

Early in the second half Harriers could have regained the lead when Briggs headed against the crossbar and then substitute Chris McPhee headed wide.  The home team made Harriers pay for that miss and took the lead after 57 minutes when the Harriers defence opened up in front of Dan Spencer enabling him to fire past Lewis.

Keith Briggs lashed in an equaliser on 68 minutes, receiving a cross from the right beyond the far post and giving Alcock no chance to save.  On 77 minutes good work by substitute Matt Blair on the left almost set up a chance for McPhee but sub keeper former Harrier Darren Acton was able to grab his cross just before McPhee could get his head to it.  Moments later careless play by Callum Gittings trying to pass to James McPike who was stood in an offside position gave possession away; from the free-kick Town countered and Adam Walker crossed from the left to an unmarked Tom Bates scored the winner with a looping header.

The game was ended a minute early when McPike went down injured in the home penalty area having hurt his knee and after lengthy treatment was carried from the field on a stretcher.