Harriers boss expects a tougher test

Kidderminster Harriers manager Steve Burr has warned his side their start to the season is about to get even tougher with a trip to fallen Football League club Lincoln.

Harriers were on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller at Aggborough in Saturday's Blue Square Premier season opener, despite coming from two goals down to draw level with Gateshead.

Burr's men were favourites to win that game but will not be the case tonight, against the relegated Imps who went down from League Two on the final day of last season.

Lincoln opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw at reprieved Southport on Saturday, where they led twice before being pegged back for a point.

Steve Tilson's side will be keen to make amends tonight in their first home game of the season, on a ground where Harriers have not played since October 2004.

They lost 3-0 to Lincoln in a League Two fixture that night and, nearly seven years later, the two again prepare to meet at Sincil Bank.

And Burr has told his side to expect a stern test of their credentials on the road tonight.

He said: "Lincoln has always been a tough place to go and they are a club who at no point expected to get relegated last season.

"They found themselves in the bottom two on the final day and were past the point of no return by then.

"We had them watched on Saturday and they are a well-organised side who did very well at Southport.

"So we know that going there will be difficult - there will be a bit of pressure on them to get off to a good start at home and there will be a big crowd behind them."

Harriers are again without defender Michael Briscoe and Jack Cresswell tonight, who are still nursing back and hamstring injuries respectively.

Cresswell's midfield cohort, Jack Byrne, sits out the third game of a five-match suspension.