Rushall Olympic 0(0) v (0)1 Kidderminster Harriers

Summer signing Justin Richards hit his first goal in a Harriers shirt to give his new team a narrow victory over a stubborn and hard-working Rushall Olympic side.

Mark Yates made full use of his squad, giving playing time to 15 of his 17 players, only Iyseden Christie and Stuart Whitehead who were recovering from surgery missed out, and all seven trialists leading to different teams taking to the field in each half.

Harriers had the best of the game but struggled to break down the home defence.  They should have taken the lead after half an hour; trialist Shane Paul latched onto a pass through the middle and took the ball round the keeper only to see his shot cleared off the goaline.  At the other end a Grant Beckett free-kick called Scott Bevan into action who tipped the ball away for a corner.

Frenchman Amar Boukhalfa saw a good dippiing shot tipped over the bar by Mark Gayle just after the hour mark as Harriers stepped up the pressure.  Then a neat 1-2 between Richards and Matthew Barnes-Homer left Richardds clear in the penalty area but he sliced his shot wide of Gayle's left-hand post.

Boukhalfa's pass through the inside-left channel set Richards away, he got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Michael McGrath whose shot was well saved by Gayle.  The winning goal came shortly afterwards; Simon Russell slipped the ball to Richards who had his back to goal but turned well and chhipped it voer Gayle and into the top corner.

There was a late scare for Harriers when Tom Cool's cross from the left found an unmarked Dave Wardle who headed over the bar.