With a mid-day kick off in sweltering heat against West Brom this was never going to be a fast paced game and we were not going to see a repeat of the 5-1 scoreline of last Thursday either.

Albion, also playing at Walsall slightly later on today, sent a weak squad with only three recognised first teamers in with Ronnie Wallwork, Nigel Quashie and Junichi Inamoto alongside a mix of reserve and youth team players.

Harriers had no more new triallists on offer from the game at Gloucester and opted to start with this line-up:
Scott Bevan, Gavin Hurren, Mark Creighton, Stuart Whitehead, Andy White, Jamie McClen, Michael Blackwood, Michael McGrath, Luke Reynolds, Russell Penn, Brian Smikle.

Nardiello, for the Albion, was the first to test out our new keeper with a low range shot that Bevan saved easily enough.    Andy White replied for us with a shot that went well over before the former West Brom man, Smikle, slammed a shot against the post after riding a strong challenge from an Albion defender.

Scott Bevan made two more saves towards the end of the first period before the teams trooped off for a lemon barley each.

The second half saw the team changed around a bit with Dean Sturridge, Simon Russell, Jake Sedgemore coming on along with a guest appearance from Bob Taylor to raise cheers from the Albion fans.

With the heat now playing a bigger part in the game it was never going to be cut and thrust and the only attacks of note came from Inamoto for the Albion and Sturridge for us.    The next friendly for us will be down at Cinderford on Thursday evening.    The game against Wolves on the 31st has been called off due to a lack of interest in footballers wanting to play for them.

Harriers second half team:
Steve Taylor, Gavin Hurren, Mark Creighton (Ashley Walker 78), Andy White (Stuart Sinclair 59), Michael Blackwood (Jordan Fitzpatrick 59), Russell Penn (Ashley Edkins, 59), Brian Smikle (Dean Sturridge 59) Scott Eaton (Bob Taylor 78), Jake Sedgemore, Simon Russell, Mark Preece.

Attendance: 1,105