Match Previews

Preview: Kidderminster Harriers

20 July 2021

National League North side Kidderminster Harriers are the opponents for Cheltenham Town this evening for the club's latest pre-season friendly (kick-off: 7pm).

It's the team's fourth run out ahead of the new League One campaign having faced Championship side Birmingham City at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium on Saturday.

A young team will be making the trip up to Worcestershire for the game.

Supporters are advised that they must buy tickets for tonight's game by 5pm in advance through Kidderminster's online ticket system. There will be no sales beyond that time and you cannot buy tickets in person this evening at the game.

Opposition

Robins fans will be looking forward to seeing a number of familiar faces involved with the opposition this evening.

Kiddy are managed by former midfielder Russell Penn who has been boss at the Worcestershire club since February 2020.

Former players Keith Lowe, Amari Morgan-Smith, Lewis Montrose and Omari Sterling-James are all part of their squad.

They'll be looking to challenge for promotion to the National League in the season ahead.

Also in their set-up they boast the likes of former York City goalkeeper Luke Simpson, long-serving midfielder Sam Austin and former Walsall and Dagenham & Redbridge striker Ashley Hemmings.

Amongst their summer recruitment they've brought in the versatile Mark Carrington after his eight year association with Wrexham came to an end, while another recruit is young forward Nyal Bell who has spent the past few seasons at Stockport County.

Match information

Kidderminster have gone cashless for the new season and therefore all tickets must be bought in advance online by 5pm for tonight's fixture. You can not buy on the night at Aggborough.

There's limited parking available outside the South Stand priced at £5 per car.

Kiddy are reminding fans that some may wish to wear masks if they want to inside the stadium, to use the NHS track & trace app when scanning into the stadium and to arrive in good time to avoid queues building up at entry points.

Coverage

Stay up to date on social media for tonight's game by following @CTFCofficial on Twitter. Score updates will also be available on the CTFC Facebook page.

After the game visit the club website to read the match report, while there will also be post-match reaction available too.

Match Reports

Report: Kidderminster Harriers 1-2 Robins

20 July 2021

A goal in each half by trialist Timmy Abraham handed Cheltenham Town a narrow victory in their fourth friendly of the summer.

Michael Duff named an experimental side in front of almost 1,000 supporters at the Aggborough Stadium, watching from the sidelines with Pete Haynes taking charge from the bench.

The Under-18s boss oversaw a side packed with Academy players who turned a host of fine individual performances to pick up some useful experience against their full-time opponents.

There were some familiar names in Harriers' red with Omari Sterling, Keith Lowe, Amari Morgan-Smith and Ashley Hemmings among the Kidderminster ranks, expertly marshalled by Russ Penn, one third of Mark Yate's midfield triamviruate which reached the play-off final at Wembley in 2012.

The National League North side provided a stern test for Cheltenham's mixture of young players and trialists on a balmy night, producing a string of chances to win the game themselves.

"I thought the young players were excellent," Duff said afterwards.

"I think there were up to nine Under-18s on the pitch at any one time. They're full-time and have some really good players with Football League experience.

"We went a goal down but we showed some resilience and a bit of character to get back into it, so it was good for them."

Harriers made the initial breakthrough midway through the first half when Jack Toiley's deflected effort sailed past Owen Evans but Duff's side were soon level, Abraham weighing in with his first goal on his third appearance of the summer.

The striker was joined for a second time by Vince Harper and 25-year-old defender Isaac Currie, both given the chance to show what they could do at left back and central midfield respectively.

Penn made eight changes to his outfield team at the interval and they went on to cause the young defence plenty of problems, but they stood firm to restrict their opponents to their lone first half goal.

Morgan-Smith saw a couple of headers drop wide after the break while Sam Austin wasted two chances of his own, as did Hemmings who had looked very lively after coming on, and the home side were made to pay in the final minute of normal time.

The young Robins were handed the late chance to nick the win when Harper was floored in the box, earning a late penalty to settle the match. Abraham made no mistake with the spot kick, thumping it down the middle to clinch the late win.

Coventry City next, back at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS FIRST HALF: Simpson; Bastable, Player H, Penny, Richards; Moyo (Lissimore 16), Sterling, Martin; White, Freemantle, Toiley.

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS SECOND HALF: Simpson (Player A 65); Player I, Dutton, Lissimore, Lowe, Player C, Austin, Carrington, Morgan-Smith, Hemmings.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-5-2): Evans; Horton (Woodall 61), Armitage, Taylor; Hunt (Ramsey 84), Currie (Holland 73), Miles (Spencer 84), Aldridge, Harper; Abraham, Guinan (Denness-Barrett 77).

REFEREE: T Reeves

ATTENDANCE: 979

Cheltenham Town FC

Preview: Kidderminster Harriers

Opposition

Match information

Coverage

Robins to face Kidderminster on Tuesday

Report: Kidderminster Harriers 1-2 Robins

Robins to face Kidderminster on Tuesday

Opposition

Match information

Coverage

Fixture News

Robins to face Kidderminster on Tuesday

Fixture News

Robins to face Kidderminster on Tuesday