The Harriers go into the new season with an improved performance at the University of Bath today when they beat Team Bath 2-1.  The goals came from Russ Penn and Dean Bennett but it was a team effort that achieved the win in our final friendly of the pre-season fixture programme.

After turning out such a miserable performance at Stafford Rangers in mid week the Harriers manager, Mark Yates, had demanded a better showing from his bare-bones signed up squad and the smattering of triallists that were hoping to win a contract.  It took just seven minutes to put that horror show behind them.

Justin Richards knocked the ball down for Russ Penn to send it flying past the Bath keeper. A further ten minutes on and we had doubled the lead when inter-passing between Andy Ferrell and Dean Bennett ended with Deano beating Meredith in a one on one.

Team Bath managed to pull a goal back through the former Stevenage midfielder Dean Smith but they didn't really create anything apart from that.  We had further chances through Richards, Mike Bowler and MBH before Bath started to come back into the game once more to test Adam Bartlett a few times.

After that brief rally the Harriers had further chances through Brian Smikle, Marco Addagio and Martin Riley but the game ended with no further scoring.

The triallists will be hoping that they have done enough to gain a contract but some will be unlucky and leave to seek their fortunes elsewhere.  Of the ones that stay they face a baptism of fire when our first game of the new season kicks off at 3:00pm next Saturday against Lewes.

Harriers:
Bartlett, Bowler, Ferrell, Jones, Creighton, Russell, Bennett, Penn, Brittain, Knights, Richards.

Subs:
Barnes-Homer, Bignot, McDermott, McGrath, Riley, Addagio.