HARRIERS were cruelly beaten on the opening day of the new National League North campaign as Chorley were once again celebrating at Aggborough.

Much like May’s play-off defeat to the Magpies, Harriers dominated for large spells but found themselves beaten thanks to a late strike – a luckless Tyrone Williams netting an own goal for the only strike of the game.

That came after Williams himself had gone close, Joe Ironside doing so, too, as he had the best chance of the game for the hosts in the second half.

Splendid sunshine greeted the two sides in Worcestershire and with eight minutes on the clock Williams was inches away from an opener as he nodded just wide of the upright.

Scott Leather and Terry Gornell then had sights of goal for the visitors without really troubling home debutant Brandon Hall in goal, before Liam Daly went close for the reds from a corner just before the break.

Close to the hour came Harriers best chance of an opening-day goal, a great delivery from Cieron Keane finding the head of Ironside at the near post – the hit man rose beautifully with a powerful header that looked well on its way to the top corner of the net before shot-stopper Urwin intervened with a top-drawer save.

Just after that, Gornell really should have put the visitors in front but he was in turn denied by Hall as he produced a fine stop to keep out a downward header on the counter-attack.

Skipper Ryan Croasdale and Williams once more then went close with efforts as the second half wore on, but the killer blow came with around a dozen minutes left when Williams, throwing his body on the line to block a low, driven cross in to the area was helpless as the ball skipped up off his shin and into the back of the net with Hall wrong-footed.

As late as that was, Harriers might still have levelled through substitute Brown but he stung the hands of Urwin with one shot before dragging another just wide of the target as Harriers pressed.

Harriers: Hall, Austin, Keane (Truslove 67), Croasdale, Daly, Williams, Nti (Ngwatala 62), McQuilkin, Ironside, Weeks, Sonupe (Brown 77).

Subs not used: Webb, Digie Attendance: 1,793 Referee: Aaron Jackson