Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Harriers were on the front foot from the opening whistle. They hit the woodwork as early as the third minute before Max Brogan tapped home Reece Hall's cross to open the scoring in the 10th minute.
Four minutes later it was 2-0. Hall again was the provider, knocking a deep ball across the face of goal where Levi Amantchi stabbed home from close range. Callum Dolan later rattled the crossbar with a dipping long-range effort as Harriers dominated the first half without adding to their lead.
Harriers made it 3-0 seven minutes after the restart. Walker bravely won the ball and freed Seb Thompson, who smashed an angled drive into the far corner on 52 minutes.
Walker turned from provider to scorer on 67 minutes. Stratford failed to clear their lines and the former Braintree man applied the clinical finish to make it 4-0.
Thompson's rising drive needed a good save over the bar on 72 minutes, but Harriers had their fifth in the 83rd minute when Lewis Walker chipped the goalkeeper deftly to complete his brace.
Academy goalkeeper Andreas Georgallas played the final ten minutes and denied Stratford their best chance of the game, smothering at close range.
The key moment
Walker's 52nd-minute assist for Thompson — a brave challenge to win the ball followed by a perfectly weighted pass — effectively ended the contest as a contest just seven minutes into the second half. It turned a comfortable 2-0 lead into a commanding 3-0 advantage and opened the floodgates for two more goals.
Key performers
- Lewis Walker ⭐: A brace and an assist. The striker opened his pre-season account with a composed finish and a deft chip, and his workrate created Thompson's goal.
- Reece Hall: Two assists inside the opening 14 minutes, setting up Brogan and Amantchi with quality deliveries from wide areas.
- Levi Amantchi: Scored his second goal in two pre-season appearances, showing sharp instincts in the box.
- Andreas Georgallas: The Academy goalkeeper made a crucial close-range save in his late cameo to preserve the clean sheet.
What it means
Harriers continue an encouraging pre-season build-up. They had beaten Halesowen Town 2-0 on 18 July and are unbeaten in their pre-season programme so far. Manager Paul Wotton, speaking after the match, stressed the priority was an injury-free workout: "Injury-free, that's all that matters. Good minutes into lads, some good finishing." He confirmed that Owen Brown and "Tips" were held out as a precaution and should be available for the next fixture.
Next up for Harriers is their first home pre-season friendly of the summer — Alvechurch at Aggborough on Tuesday, 28 July at 19:00.
Verdict
A thorough, professional performance from a Harriers side that was sharper, stronger and more clinical throughout. The scoreline could have been wider but the 5-0 margin accurately reflected the gulf in class. Pre-season results carry little weight, but the patterns — crisp finishing, width from Hall, and Walker's growing sharpness — are encouraging signs for Wotton's side ahead of the National League North campaign.
Match Events
Key match events between Stratford Town and Kidderminster Harriers — 5 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 26 Jul 2026