Dover 0, Harriers 1

A THOROUGHLY deserved victory in Kent highlighted how important it is Harriers’ current financial worries do not de-rail the efforts of Gary Whild’s squad.

Jack Byrne bagged a winner in the 51st minute to send Kidderminster’s fans home happy on their 200-mile return journey.

The win also cheered Whild, who had been laid up in Harriers’ team hotel by illness and missed the game.

An impressively robust away win, only their third in the league since October, continues their excellent unbeaten six-game start into the season, propelled along by defensive reliability which has delivered five clean sheets.

Despite being early days in the Vanarama Conference this encouraging start suggests Harriers are capable of making a push for the play-offs.

But the club’s SOS for new investors and the warning from former finance director Jo Hancox that the squad will be broken up unless new funds are found is a dark cloud hovering over Aggborough.

Success on the pitch would certainly aid the club’s efforts to attract more supporters through the gates and advertise the merits of the club.

The team’s quality was clearly on show on the South Coast. Harriers could have easily won by more and they dealt with Dover’s direct wing play comfortably.

Craig Reid’s fine volley was saved by keeper Mitch Walker and Nathan Blissett blazed over the bar after being teed up by Byrne.

But the midfielder hit the target with a fine strike six minutes after the break. He chested down Storer’s accurate pass and smashed a first time effort into the back of the net.

“I didn’t think we looked like conceding,” said player/coach Josh Gowling.

“It was a great ball from Kyle Storer and Jack Byrne produced a fantastic finish.”

HARRIERS: Lewis 7, Hodgkiss 7, Storer 8, BYRNE 8, Johnson 6 (Gittings, 90), Reid 6 (Styche, 85), Blissett 6 (Gash, 64), Grimes 7, Verma 7, Nicholson 7, Gowling 7. Subs not used: Obeng, Singh.

DOVER: Walker, Stone, Wynter (Nanetti, 68), Kinnear (Bellamy, 80), Orlu, Elder (Reid, 76), Cogan, Lock, Payne, Sterling, Bonner. Subs not used: Deverdics, Mambo. Ref: Dean Treleaven. Att: 833.