Harriers 2, Altrincham 0

A DOUBLE from Ash Chambers handed Harriers their first win at Aggborough this season.

The striker found the net in either half against Altrincham as Kidderminster bagged a deserved three points in front of their home fans.

Reds made three changes as Rhys Williams and Milan Butterfield returned from international duty to replace Ollie Shenton and the injured Jamie Sharman, while Ed Williams came in for Alex Prosser.

Harriers enjoyed some decent early possession during an evenly-matched opening period and both sides swapped efforts at goal as Correy Davidson and visiting forward Jordan Hulme fired off target from range.

It was the hosts that took the lead after 11 minutes with Chambers’ well-taken looping first-time effort beyond keeper Tony Thompson after Davidson found him at the left corner of the penalty area.

Altrincham still carried a threat and John Johnson could only curl a chance wide after good link-up down the left found him free 10 yards out.

Harriers should then have made it two just past the half hour mark but Ed Williams saw his low shot saved by the outrushing Thompson after Chambers had played him in after latching onto a loose ball on the edge of the box.

Altrincham nearly capitalised on that big let-off six minutes later but Rhys Williams blocked brilliantly from Josh Hancock after another cross from the left.

Reds remained just a goal ahead at the break as Richard Peniket’s curling effort from just inside the area came back off the post late on.

Kidderminster were quicker out the traps in the second half and should have had a second just five minutes in when a Declan Weeks corner caused chaos.

Rhys Williams’ shot was blocked at close range before Peniket put the rebound narrowly wide with the goal at his mercy.

Still Harriers remained on the front foot and looked to break quickly with good balls up to the hard-working Chambers.

The striker bagged his second of the game on 65 minutes after gathering Weeks’ long-range pass in behind the Altrincham rearguard and firing beyond Thompson via the inside of the post.

Ed Williams was denied by Thompson on 72 minutes before the contest hit a lull as Harriers managed their lead approaching the final 10 minutes.

Tom Palmer wasn’t called into action in the second half until he gathered Ashley Hemming’s direct free-kick from 25 yards in the 82nd minute.

The keeper then gathered again from Hemmings late on to keep his cleansheet and make sure their would be no nervous moments in the closing stages.

Harriers: Palmer, Austin, Davidson (Higginson 86), R. Williams, Moyo (c), Johnson, Weeks, Butterfield, Chambers (Prosser 86), E. Williams (Shenton 90), Peniket.

Unused: Mountjoy, Lowth.

Altrincham: Thompson, White, Hampson, Jones (Mullarkey (17), Hannigan, Moult (c), Johnson, Williams, Hulme (Peers 73), Hancock (Harrop 63), Hemmings.

Unused subs: Densmore, Torrance.

Att: 1,463 (106).