Kidderminster Harriers 1 Aldershot Town 2
HARRIERS' home hoodoo continued as Aldershot took advantage of some sloppy defending on the opening day of the Blue Square Premier Division on Saturday.
The home side, who only won seven games at home last season, paid the price for missing two excellent first half chances and some sloppy defending that allowed Aldershot to go 2-0 ahead.
The visitors started brightly and Lewis Chalmers saw his low effort outside the box blocked by Mark Creighton.
Russ Penn led a dangerous break but Michael Blackwood's poor cross was intercepted by defender Nathan Day.
Harriers hitman James Constable had made a lively start but he fluffed his chance of putting the home side ahead in the eight minute.
Day's clearance had fell to winger Brian Smikle and his astute pass played in the striker, who rounded goalkeeper Nikki Bull but shot into the side netting.
The miss seemed to hit Harriers' confidence and Aldershot, who were dangerous from set pieces throughout, tried to take advantage.
Day should have done better when he headed Scott Davies' free-kick wide in the 20th minute.
Davies, who is on-loan from Reading, saw a powerful rising free-kick narrow fly wide of the left hand post.
Constable lost his temper with referee Mr Cootes when he was booked for a foul on Day in Aldershot's area, after the defender had made strong challenge on the defender.
But the home side started to take control and carved out a great chance in the 32nd minute.
Jeff Kenna delivered a great cross from the right that Michael Blackwood did well to hit into the ground, but somehow it bounced off the crossbar and was clawed away by Bull.
But the home side were stunned when the impressive Davies opened the scoring eight seconds after the break.
The midfielder was given far too much space to run at Harriers' goal and smashed a low shot past Scott Bevan.
Bevan had to be alert a minute later to stop Aldershot doubling their lead. He took Rob Elvins' cross but striker John Grant slid into him and the ball squirmed out of his grasp. But he managed to pounce on it as crept towards the goal line.
Stunned Harriers then fell 2-0 down in the 58th minute when Bevan saved Elvins shot but Grant scored from the follow-up.
Harriers' keeper kept his side in it when made an instinctive save from substitute Kirk Hudson's stinging volley in the 69th minute.
But hopes of a Harriers fight back were sparked when Mark Creighton's bullet header from Kenna's corner made it 2-1 in the 76th minute.
Justin Richards shot wide from 20-yards out in the 80th minute and Matthew Barnes-Homer turned the ball round the post from substitute Iyseden Christie's low cross.
Michael McGrath had a goalbound effort blocked and Harriers won a corner in the game's dying seconds but Creighton's header was off target.
Harriers: Bevan 7, Kenna 6, Hurren 7, CREIGHTON 8, Constable 6 (Christie, 7, 67mins), Richards 6, Penn 6, Blackwood 6 (Barnes-Homer, 6, 72mins), Smikle 6, Ferrell 5 (McGrath, 71mins, 5), Bignot 6.
Aldershot: Bull, Smith, Straker, Rhys Day, Charles, Davies, Chalmers (Hudson, 67mins), Soares, Grant, Elvins, Harding.
Referee: Mr DH Coote (Notts). Attendance: 1976.