NEIL Howarth is pleased with the positive signs from Harriers' pre-season work-outs following Friday's 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion at Aggborough.
Matthew Barnes-Homer and Kyle Hadley were on target for the home side as they put in another entertaining performance.
Speaking to the official website after the game, Assistant Manager Howarth was impressed with what he'd seen against the Baggies' side.
"We managed to play a couple of different formations and get a look at different players in different positions again and it was a good, competitive game," he said.
"West Brom are an excellent club and a very big club, with that comes the quality in depth so any team they send will have some quality players in it and it was a good game to watch.
Wide men Hadley and Brian Smikle caused the visitors all sorts of problems throughout - the former getting on the score sheet and the latter providing plenty of ammunition.
Howarth couldn't be happier with the duo, adding: "Kyle did very well - he's got plenty of pace and he gets a good ball across. No one could really keep up with him out there apart from Aaron Farrell [for Hadley's goal], but selfishness sometimes isn't a bad thing when you're running down on goal and 20 yards out, it was a great strike.
"Junior is just Junior, you come to expect certain things from him.
"We make a little joke that we wish we could have a team of Brian Smikle's sometimes because he can do everything, and he's a pleasure to have around the place."
It's now just two weeks until the season finally kicks-off, and after six pre-season fixtures there are signs that the squad is slowly coming together as players familiarise themselves with each other's games.
"We've had some great lads come in and show us what they're about and some of the boys who have been here a season or two are good, exciting players and they can make things happen with their ability and energy," Howarth went on to say.
"It's been great to see the passages of play they're starting to put together and the signs are encouraging."
Harriers are next in action when they travel to Worcester City on Tuesday evening, 7:45pm.
