At last an opening day way win

Football returned to Aggborough today with a lacklustre win against a poor, newly promoted Hayes & Yeading side.  Dean Coleman started his first game as number one keeper and did himself no harm with his performance keeping a clean sheet.

One surprise inclusion in the first team lineup was Liam Dolman instead of Duane Courtney and perhaps Courtney should have started as Dolman on the whole didn't have the best of games.

Hayes started well keeping the ball but not forcing any opportunities or openings in the Kidderminster defence, their best chance coming through Page-Allen with a save made via Dean Coleman's knees on the ten minute mark.

Harriers then unsuccessfully tried to get into the game with Smikle making runs down the wing only to be repeatedly hacked down by the Hayes & Yeading full backs but the referee, Mr Harwood, seemed oblivious to such challenges and made no bookings.  The reluctance to show any cards was to carry on through the game as there were many challenges that were surely worthy of more than a talking to.

The Harriers took the initiative from then on and started to pass the ball around fairly well with a lot of attacks coming through left back Lee Baker.  Then in the 35th minute Harriers took the lead.

Smikle played a low ball into the box from the left flank that David McDermott allowed to carry on by letting it run under his foot.  Barnes-Homer took a touch that perhaps he needn't have done but still put the ball away with his left foot into the bottom right hand corner.

After this Kidderminster controlled the play and deserved another goal but they couldn't get the final touch on the ball.  At half time Harriers were leading by one goal to nil.