Kidderminster 0 Alfreton 1 - Report

The visitors sealed victory with second half own goal by Alex Penny.

The grim defeat leaves boss Phil Brown’s men without a victory in their last four league outings

Harriers made a number of changes from the side which grabbed a last-gasp 2-1 FA Cup second qualifying round win over Leek Town at Aggborough the previous Saturday with Penny, Caleb Richards, Ashley Hemmings and Maz Kouhyar all returning to the starting line-up.

Teenage striker Harry Ibbitson, signed on loan from Bradford City, was included among the substitutes.

He came on as a 61st minute substitute for Maliq Cadogan.

Alfreton were first to get in a sight on goal when a long throw by Adam Lund was knocked on to well positioned Dawyne Wiley, but he steered his header over the bar.

Harriers responded with a promising raid which ended with a cross from Cadogan which reached Hemmings whose header was deflected over the bar by Josh Clackstone for an unproductive corner.

Soon after determined work by Joe Foulkes led to Cadogan getting in a low shot, but the effort lack sufficient power and was easily gathered by goalkeeper George Wills.

Minutes later Amari Morgan-Smith headed over from a corner against his former club and then had another effort bundled out for a fruitless corner by Max Hunt.

Harriers went near to breaking the deadlock just after the half hour mark when Willis pulled off an excellent save to keep out a close range shot from Richards before the danger was finally cleared.

Shortly afterwards Alfreton had a good chance to score when a teasing cross to the far post found Hunt who powered a header narrowly over the bar.

In the closing stages of the first half Cadogan tried his luck with a long range effort which flew high over the bar before Hemmings had a shot smartly saved by Wills following a darting run and pass from Kouhyar.

Hemmings broke away in the opening minutes of the second period and knocked the ball goalwards, but his effort lacked pace and the visitors were able to boot the danger away to safety.

Alfreton caused the hosts concern when slack defensive play led to the ball going across the goalmouth where Billy Fewster was unable to force the ball home.

They finally grabbed what proved to be the winner in the 79th minute when a cross from substitute Lewis Salmon was turned into his own net by Penny.

Kidderminster: Dibble; Foulkes, McNally, Penny, Richards; Summerfield (Davis, 71), Brown, Cadogan (Ibbitson, 61), Hemmings, Kouhyar, Morgan-Smith (Obadeyi, 75). Subs not used: Bishop, Devine.

Alfreton: Wills, Clackstone, Hunt, Lund, Wiley, Whitehouse, Cantrill, Waldock (Abbey, 46), Moyo (Day, 88), Fewster (Salmon, 77), Newall. Subs not used: Anson, Askew.

Referee: Jonathan Maskrey.

Attendance: 2,380 (47 away fans).