Harriers 0, Birmingham 4

AN experimental Harriers side were no match for Birmingham City as the Aggborough outfit completed pre-season with a defeat.

A Kiddy side packed with young players and trialists were blown away by Blues, who saw Jack Storer bag a brace.

James Vaughan and Andrew Shinnie also hit the back of the net for the visitors.

But this was a useful learning experience for the hosts, many of who were making their senior debuts.

There was little to worry about as the team which started on Tuesday night will bare little resemblance to the one kicking off the National North at Curzon Ashton on Saturday.

Harriers fielded an inexperienced side containing four trialists, including Liam Truslove, Richard Stambolziev and Michael Onovwigun.

Keeper Jono Brown was handed his senior debut after signing a new deal.

City brought a squad with a sprinkling of first team players including Paul Caddis, Paul Robinson and James Vaughan.

The visitors made a strong start and punished some lacklustre defending in the third minute.

Storer raced into a gap in the defence onto James Vaughan's pass and his low shot caught out Kiddy's rookie keeper.

The Championship side made it 2-0 in the ninth minute when Andrew Shinnie exposed another hole in the back line and finished with a low shot.

Harriers recovered from the poor start and worked their way back into the game and Ashley Carter tested keeper Adam Legzdins in the 27th minute when his 25-yard low effort took a deflection and drew a diving save.

But just as the hosts were getting on top Vaughan made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute, when he powered into the box and rifled home the follow-up after Brown had saved his first effort.

The second half was a lacklustre affair, with both teams struggling to creat goal-scoring chances.

Vaughan steered an effort off target.

The home crowd applauded when Kidderminster-born and former player Luke Maxwell, who signed for City last season, replaced Charlie Cooper in the 66th minute.

But Blues made it 4-0 in the 67th minute when a loose pass at the back by Onovwigun allowed Storer to drive home on the angle.

Harriers ended the game down to ten men when experience defender Wayne Thomas had to be helped off the pitch in the 85th minute.

Brown denied City a fifth goal in the 88th minute when he turned Storer's shot around at his near post.

Harriers: J Brown, Hodgkiss (Millinchamp, 76), Hancocks (Smith, 79), Carter (Clarke, 67), Trialist, Thomas, Austin, Onovwigun (Forsyth, 67) A Brown (Taylor, 46), Truslove, Stambolziev Subs not used: Palmer.

Birmingham: Legzdins, Caddis, Bernard, Cleary (Harding, 61), Robinson, Cogley, Brown, Cooper (Maxwell, 66), Storer, Shinnie, Vaughan.

Subs not used: McFarlane, Weaver, McDonald.

Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire) Attendance: 1137