Stourbridge 4, Harriers 0

SUBSTITUTE Kieran Cook netted a second half hat-trick as Stourbridge secured a pre-season win over a young Harriers side.

Cook's three strikes and a header from midfielder Michael McGrath saw the hosts overcome the Kidderminster prospects at the War Memorial Ground.

It took Stourbridge just two minutes to create the first opening as Mike Taylor burst into the box but blazed over the bar with only keeper Ewan Mountjoy to beat.

It was the hosts who continued to press as Greg Mills and Michael McGrath worked efforts at goal.

Harriers’ young guns worked hard in the hot conditions but struggled to put any move of note together during the opening exchanges.

Their best moment came just before the half hour mark when Knory Scott nearly got on the end of Darragh Lowth’s neat ball over the top of the Stour rearguard.

Bailey Fuller then fired a free-kick over the bar on 38 minutes after Jaiden White has been fouled.

Stourbridge came close to breaking the deadlock before the break but Taylor saw a low drive blocked and Greg Mills drilled wide of the mark.

The second half started with Stour again forcing the issue without finding a way through.

First Mills was kept out by Mountjoy before the Harriers stopper produced a fine double save to deny Taylor after Tom Tonks’ long throw had found him behind the visiting backline.

The Glassboys finally beat Mountjoy on 62 minutes when sub Kieran Cook drilled home from the edge of the box just moments after his introduction from the bench.

The advantage was doubled five minutes later as McGrath rose in a crowded penalty area to head home from a Mills corner.

Harriers, despite struggled to create any sustained pressure, did come close to pulling one back on 75 minutes when Knory Smith’s effort from range clipped the top of James Wren’s bar.

Stour got a third on 84 minutes when Cook guided a low left-footed strike beyond Mountjoy from the edge of the box.

He then bagged his hat-trick with a dipping free-kick from 25 yards on the stroke of full time.

Stourbridge: Price (Wren 45), Tonks, Foster (William 45), Turton (Bellis 45), Brown, Carter, Winwood, McGrath, Taylor (Lloyd 60), Grocott (Cook 60), Mills (Archer 74).

Harriers: Mountjoy, D. Lowth, Brooks, Hall, Trialist E (S. Lowth 45), Dutton, Fuller (McCarthy 71), White, Scott, Trialist F (Taylor-Randle 45), Trialist G.

Unused subs: De Garis, Stratford, Fenton, Gibbons.

Att: 622.