FOOTBALL – Alvechurch hold National League side Kidderminster Harriers to goalless draw in pre-season

ALVECHURCH held National League side Kidderminster Harriers to a goalless draw in the club’s latest pre-season outing.

Church and Kidderminster played out a stalemate at Aggborough in what marked Harriers boss Paul Wotton’s first home game in charge.

Kyle Storer, a former Harriers captain, took his Church side to a team who play two levels above them for a stern pre-season test.

And Church almost broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when Manny Ilesanmi saw his first effort saved by Harriers goalkeeper Josh Bishop and glanced the rebound wide.

Harriers responded with a chance of their own although Lewis Walker’s effort on the turn lacked the necessary power to trouble Redman Evans.

Evans then tipped David Davis’s effort over the crossbar while Cian Harries saw his header ruled out for offside from the resulting corner.

---

---

Harriers midfielder Callum Dolan went close just before the half-hour mark as he met Reece Devine’s corner only for the ball to flash narrowly wide of the post.

And Evans made another stop as he kept out Ollie Tipton’s header from a tight angle after the latter was left unmarked at the back post.

Evans remained in the thick of the action as the Church goalkeeper reacted sharply to turn Walker’s effort to safety.

Harriers made a host of changes after the break as defender Richard Faakye saw his powerful header blocked.

The away side’s best chance of the second period fell to Callum Sullivan who saw his effort take a slight deflection on its way past the post.

Bishop kept out Jack Kelly’s swerving effort later in the second half while Church’s substitute goalkeeper Josh Murtagh gathered Seb Thompson’s dipping free-kick in injury time.

Alvechurch conclude their pre-season campaign against Birmingham City under-21s on Saturday, August 1 with kick-off at 3pm at Lye Meadow.