BLYTH SPARTANS 0 KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 1

seemed to be caught by a forceful elbow by the Harriers centre-back.

With the majority of those inside Croft Park pleading for what would have been a deserved red card, referee Helen Conley opted for a more lenient approach and showed Pearce a yellow.

The visitors had shown little in the way of genuine threat as half-time approached but that all changed with the final 10 minutes of the half approaching.

The ever-dangerous Tom Owenevans saw a goalbound shot blocked by Spartans defender Toby Lees before Ethan Freemantle lashed over the crossbar from point-blank range just two minutes before the interval.

The half-time whistle brought a wave of appreciation from the Croft Park faithful as they reflected on a heartening opening to the new campaign.

The Spartans supporters were on their feet once again within two minutes of the restart as Nicky Deverdics sent a dipping and swerving shot goalwards from all of 25 yards.

However, visitors’ stopper Palmer produced a stunning fingertip save to divert the ball on to the roof of his net.

Spartans were punished just five minutes later as their sloppy play in the middle of the pitch saw possession surrendered to the influential Shane Byrne.

The Harriers captains slid Yusiev Ceesay in on goal and he showed his unselfish side by giving Ashley Hemmings a simple tap-in from six yards.

That goal seemed to suck some of the life out of Spartans and it was their visitors that enjoyed long passages of possession in the aftermath of that opener.

A domination spell in control of the game came with 15 minutes remaining and ended with the dangerous Ceesay curling a shot beyond Alex

Mitchell’s far post.

To their credit, Spartans pushed forward in the closing stages with Liddle sending a weak effort into the hands of Palmer and Alex Nicholson forcing the visitors’ stopper into a similar effort from long-range.

But it was Harriers that ended the game on the front foot and they comfortably saw out five minutes of injury-time to inflict an opening day defeat on Mitchell’s men.