YUSSIF STANDS TOP OF THE BIL
GOALS from Josh Thomas and Jordan Kaye handed West Midlands League side Bilston Town an unlikely victory over their National League North visitors.
But it was central defender Adnam Yussif who stole the show for the Steelers with a brilliant all-round display against Ethan Freemantle and the experienced Amari Morgan-Smith, who linked up with Harriers in the summer.
There was an early scare for the visitors when a Thomas strike after just four minutes had to be helped over the bar by the trialist Harriers keeper, who then did well to palm another Thomas effort around the post.
But the Bilston midfielder did finally find a way past the stopper on 32 minutes with a fierce drive that struck Kidderminster defender Luke Maxwell – another new addition – before ending up in the back of the net.
Harriers did force home keeper Brad Clarkson into a save just before the interval through Alex Prosser’s low shot before Ashley Hemmings had an effort blocked by the excellent Yussif at the start of the second half.
The visitors, who made a raft of changes at the break, went close again just before the hour when Jaiden White fired over the target before Hemmings thumped a freekick too high.
But just when the Aggborough outfit started putting some promising attacks together, the Steelers wrapped things up with a well-worked effort 15 minutes from time.
The writing was on the wall moments earlier when second-half keeper Tom Palmer was forced into a fine low save to keep out a Kevin Nickle effort. Then, from a Lewis Gill free-kick, the ball was headed on and youth teamer Kaye was on hand to direct his header past the Harriers keeper from close range. It was his first touch after coming off the bench.
By this time Yussif had hobbled from the field but there was still no way through for Russ Penn’s team with Bilston’s replacement keeper Tom Kirkpatrick pulling off a stunning reflex save in the final minute to deny the hard-working Hemmings.