Kidderminster Harriers 0
Wrexham 4
Friendly

Match Report

Background

Wrexham’s pre-match build-up had been thrown into chaos with the news of a Covid-19 outbreak at Dean Keates’ daughter’s school, the Dragons’ boss immediately self-isolating and undertaking a test for coronavirus. A text on the morning of the game thankfully confirmed the result was negative and Keates was cleared to head to Aggborough to meet the rest of the squad. One notably absentee was striker Jordan Pontecelli who was rested after picking-up a slight hamstring strain in the midweek draw with AFC Telford United. Wrexham again opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Jordan Davies and Anthony Jeffrey providing the width down the flanks. Following a 2-0 defeat at Halesowen in midweek, Harriers’ manager Russ Penn opted for a far stronger starting XI whilst naming three trialists on the bench.


Report

On a gloriously sunny afternoon, Wrexham took the lead after just ten minutes with their first real attack of note. Good work by Kwame Thomas saw him win the ball on the halfway line and then break clear down the left. With his first two crosses blocked, the striker played a neat lay-off to Jeffrey who centred for Luke Young to rifle home from the edge of the box. The visitors’ lead was doubled eight minutes later when a Jeffrey corner found Thomas at the far post and the summer signing from Burton Albion held off the challenge of Amari Morgan-Smith to bundle the ball home from close range. The pace of Jeffrey posed a constant threat to the Kidderminster defence and he skipped past three defenders before firing over the bar on 32 minutes. Rob Lainton then made a fine one-handed save to keep out Morgan Smith’s goal-bound header before Wrexham added a third goal just before the break, Jordan Davies and Thomas combining well to provide Elliott Durrell with the opening to side-foot home from 12 yards out.

Christian Dibble replaced Lainton at the interval whilst Adi Yussuf came on for the impressive Thomas as Wrexham continued to look dangerous, going forward at will in the second period. Jeffrey saw a fierce snap-shot palmed away for a corner by Harriers’ substitute keeper Leon Phillips before the winger’s electric pace saw him win a penalty on 56 minutes, Alex Penny bringing him crashing to the ground. Jeffrey took the resultant spot-kick himself only for Phillips to make a superb save low down to his left. Wrexham’s fourth goal came midway through the half when Jake Bickerstaff’s driven shot from the right caught Phillips by surprise, Yussuf capitalising on the keeper’s fumble to turn and rifle the loose ball into the back of the net. That was the cue for Keates to give the rest of the squad the remaining 20 minutes as his new-look side strolled to an impressive win.


Quotes

“Kidderminster caused us a few problem. It was a different shape to come up against and there were patches when we combated it really well. We broke with intent and were relentless with the chances we created and we took them well.”
Dean Keates (Wrexham AFC Manager)


Post Match

Wrexham confirmed that they would be playing two more friendlies ahead of the season opener with Boreham Wood, AFC Telford United and a Salford XI both visiting the Racecourse.