Kidderminster Harriers ended their pre-season fixture programme with a deserved 2-1 win over Blue Square South side Team Bath.

Urged by Mark Yates to produce a much better performance than against Stafford in midweek, the visitors surged ahead inside seven minutes.

Striker Justin Richards was the provider; his lovely knock-down picked out Russell PENN whose strike had goalkeeper Jake Meredith well beaten.

A little over ten minutes later, it was the all-action from the Harriers' midfield - Andy Ferrell and Dean Bennett combined for a neat passing move with culminated with BENNETT advancing into the box before, one on one, slotting the ball coolly past Meredith to make it 2-0.

At this point the hosts began to get themselves into the game more but were almost caught out for a third as Michael Bowler's fine cross missed the head of Richards by mere inches.

The Students did manage to half the deficit on the half-hour mark, former Stevenage man Dean SMITH hitting home past Adam Bartlett at the far post.

Former Peterborough man Richards got the bit between his teeth after this, he powered past three Bath players before hitting an effort just over the bar, and then teased the home defence with a good run, before putting Knights through with a great ball that the youngster just mis controlled.

Bowler forced a neat save from Meredith just before the break, the ex-Birmingham youngster tipping the full-back's effort over the bar.

Yates again made changes in the second period and as a result the game got ever so slightly scrappier; but the visitors were still making good progress going forward.

Matthew Barnes-Homer had the first good chance of the half as he ended a good run by dragging a shot wide, Richards again being in the thick of things soon after as his right-wing run saw a neat cross go to Barnes-Homer who again hit off-target.

Bath made their inroads towards Bartlett's goal but lacked a real edge in front of goal; Brian Smikle went close at the other end, his header going just over the bar.

Harriers' forwards on the other hand were creating chance after chance - Marco Addagio will wonder how he ended the day without a goal as he went agonisingly close on two occasions, first beating the goalkeeper with a low effort but also beating the post, and then sliding the ball underneath Meredith with another neat shot from a one-on-one, only to see his effort graze the foot of the bar.

Defender Martin Riley had the afternoon's last good opportunity, his powerful shot palmed wide by the shot-stopper.

HARRIERS: Bartlett, Bowler, Ferrell, Jones, Creighton, Russell, Bennett, Penn, Brittain, Knights, Richards.
Subs used: Barnes-Homer, Bignot, McDermott, McGrath, Riley, Addagio.