Harriers 3, Gateshead 1

HARRIERS survived a scare to see off Gateshead and pick up their first opening day win of the season in three years.

Goals for Michael Gash, Callum Gittings and Chey Dunkley also ensured there would be no repeat of last campaign's five-match losing start.

But Kidderminster did not have it all their own way as a talented Gateshead side were the better team in the middle part of the match and had bagged a leveller, before the home side found a higher gear.

Lee Fowler was the only summer signing who started for the home side while the likes of Dior Angus, James Dance and Jack Byrne were on the bench.

They came up against a Heed side which contained former Kidderminster players Adam Bartlett and Adam Boyes.

It was the home side who started brightly and they opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a clever move from their first corner.

As Chey Dunkley and Josh Gowling raced into the six-yard box, Gash cleverly tracked back into space and placed a fine header past Bartlett.

The home side continued to carve out a host of chances but failed to hit the target.  Callum Gittings volleyed over the bar after good play by Gash, while Anthony Malbon drove a shot just wide after winning the ball off Josh Walker.

Gateshead were struggling to get into their groove but Walker saw his free-kick deflected behind for a corner.

Bartlett then denied his old club in the 36th minute, making a flying save to his right to get a hand to Gash's dipping 20-yard effort.  But Gateshead stunned Harriers with an equaliser in the 43rd minute out of nothing.

Jamie Chandler burst down the right and forced Lewis into a low save but Brodie, who had been having a poor game, finished off from close range.

Gateshead went into the second half with their confidence high and they nearly went ahead only for Ben Clark saw his effort cleared off the line by Mickey Demetriou.

Harriers were also temporarily reduced to ten men when Josh Gowling needed treatment for a bash on the nose.

But the defender was soon back on the pitch and saw Harriers regain the lead. Kyle Storer rode several poor challenges to cut in from the right and set-up Gittings, who scuffed a shot into the back of the net.

Harriers were lucky to keep their lead intact moments later when James Brown lost his marker and flung himself at a Walker cross but fired over.

Lee Vaughan then saw a cross catch out Bartlett that smashed off the bar and bounced on the line before it was cleared.

Gash wasted a chance to extend the home side's lead in the 72nd minute after Joe Tait had handled Anthony Malbon's cross. But Gash's powerful effort rattled the bar.

Dunkley though  made sure it was 3-1 in the 81st minute, rising highest at the far following Gittings's corner.

Harriers: Lewis, L Vaughan, Demetriou, Storer (Byrne, 75), Dunkley, Fowler, Gash, Malbon, Johnson (Dior, 75), Gittings (Tolley 86), Gowling.

Subs not used: Dance, N Vaughan.

Gateshead: Bartlett, O'Brien, Chandler, Clark, Turnbull, Brodie (Brodie, Larkin, 83), Boyes, Boyes, Brown, Tait, Baxter, Walker.

Subs not used: Cummins, Nixon, Marwood, Ramshaw.

Referee: Brett Huxtable. Attendance: 2,110 (76)