Kidderminster Harriers still a work in progress, says John Eustace

A run of just one defeat in 11 games over the past two months has steadily improved the mood at Aggborough, last Saturday’s 2-1 win at Stockport County lifting Harriers up to 10th in the National League North table.

But Eustace believes there are still plenty of improvements which can still be made over the coming weeks and months.

He said: “We are still very much a work in progress. At the start of the season we didn’t really have a squad, the lads we brought in were still building fitness and we had to shuffle things around a bit.

"It was all new to me, rebuilding a squad. Since then we’ve been able to bring in a few players who have added a bit of quality but there is still an awfully long way to go.

“We are still nowhere near the finished article. We could be a lot better on the ball and there are players still learning to play alongside each other. But there are a lot of positives to take.”

A Joe Ironside double, including a last-minute winner, saw Harriers come from behind to win at Edgeley Park.

It was doubly sweet for Eustace’s men, who had been denied victory against Spennymoor by a last-gasp leveller a week previously.

“I thought we deserved to win both games,” said the boss.

“The players worked very hard to get themselves back into it at Stockport after falling behind. It’s always nice to get a last-minute winner.”

Harriers head to AFC Fylde in the first round of the FA Cup this Saturday.

The two clubs went toe-to-toe for the National League North title last season, with the Lancashire club eventually prevailing.

Defensive duo Jordan Tunnicliffe and Zaine Francis-Angol then both moved north from Harriers to Fylde in the summer.

Eustace said: “It’s going to be a good test for us. They have kept a large majority of the squad they had last season and added to it.

“We’re looking forward to the game.”