Alfreton 3, Harriers 1

HARRIERS boss Steve Burr was delighted with his side’s build-up play but left frustrated by their wayward finishing as two former Kidderminster players shot them down in Derbyshire.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Kidderminster should be blushing as an Alfreton side containing four former players inflicted their first defeat of the season.

Ex-Kidderminster attacker Dan Bradley scored his third and fourth goals against his old club with a devastating double, while Tom Shaw, who helped the Aggborough outfit to sixth in the 2010-11, also struck.

However, had Harriers taken their chances they could have made it back-to-back wins at the start of a campaign for the first time in a decade.

But it proved to be another typically topsy-turvy start to the Skrill Premier, with no side able to claim maximum points after the first two matches.

“I was happy with the way we played, but if you don’t put your chances away then you’re going to struggle to win games," the Harriers’ manager said.

“We kept going and everything Alfreton hit went in. We were a bit disappointed with a couple of the goals they scored but I don’t want to take anything away from them.

“I thought our play was good but all that was missing was the goals.”

Alfreton had started brightly and took the lead after Josh Gowling failed to cut out Josh Law’s free-kick and allowed Bradley to steal in at the far post and slide the ball into the back of the net.

Harriers’ inspirational centre back prevented another when former Portsmouth man-mountain John Akinde muscled past Mickey Demetriou, but Gowling slid in to avert the danger.

But the visitors produced a host of gilt-edged chances.

Kyle Storer saw a thunderbolt rattle the bar, while Alfreton keeper Ross Atkins, who also had a spell at Harriers, produced a stunning diving save to deny Anthony Malbon.

The Harriers’ leading scorer last year was then teed up by Johnson, who was been given acres of space down the left flank, but fired wide with just Atkins to beat.

Johnson combined well with Michael Gash but blazed wide.

The former Cambridge United hitman then probably had the best chance early in the second-half when a clever run saw him escape the close attention of centre-backs Nick Fenton and Chris Westwood to meet Johnson’s cross but he flicked his header wide.

The visitors were then punished on the break.

Shaw rifled home in the 51st minute after good work by Paul Clayton to work the ball into the midfielder’s path.

Bradley confirmed his position as chief destroyer in the 70th-minute with a brilliant finish.

Storer bagged a 79th minute lifeline with a powerful effort but Kidderminster could not stage a fightback.

Harriers: Lewis 6, L Vaughan 6, Demetriou 6, Storer 7, Dunkley 6, Fowler 7, Gash 6, Malbon 6 (Angus 62), JOHNSON 8, Gittings 5 (Dance 46), Gowling 6. Subs not used: Tolley, Byrne, N Vaughan.

Alfreton: Atkins, Wood, Franklin, Westwood, Law, Shaw, Clayton, Bradley, Fenton, McGrath, Akinde. Subs not used: Kempson, Ramsey-Dickson, Meadows, Wishart, Taylor.

Referee: Ross Joyce.

Attendance: 722