Harriers take win at AFC Wulfrunians

Kidderminster Harriers manager Steve Burr rated the playing surface as a pain in the grass after picking up a 3-1 friendly win at AFC Wulfrunians.

Callum Gittings and an own goal from Tom Ray cancelled out Anthony Thompson's equaliser last night, after Steve Guinan's opening penalty.

But Burr feels his side were hindered by the length of the grass on the Castlecroft Stadium surface as they tried to break down the home side.

He said: "It was a good excercise and I would like to thank the people at Wulfrunians because they have a lovely set-up there.

"I can understand them leaving a fair bit on the pitch at this stage of pre-season but it did make the ball travel very slowly.

"The lads tried a lot of stuff and tried to express themselves but we were perhaps let down by the surface in the final third.

"From a fitness point of view, though, it has been another good outing."

Harriers had strode head of their West Midlands League Premier Division hosts with a little over two minutes on the clock.

The visitors awarded a penalty after Marvin Johnson was fouled in the area and Guinan stepped up to do the honours from the spot.

Just a few minutes later, though, the scores were level as Anthony Thompson latched on to a ball up field.

Thompson dinked the ball over goalkeeper Danny Lewis, playing in front of the supporters for the first time in 10 months.

The 30-year-old has battled back after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during training last September.

But Harriers' lead was restored by Callum Gittings on 22 minutes, the midfielder's first touch in the area finished into the roof of the net.

Burr's men were home and dry as the scoring was completed in the second-half, Ray the unlucky man for Wulfrunians.

His intervention to meet Ryan Rowe's cross on 62 minutes, which had been set up by Ricky Shakes, could only steer the ball into his own net.

Danny Pilkington, Anthony Malbon and Johnson all missed further chances to add to the score for Harriers.