HARRIERS saw their unbeaten start to the National League North season ended at Warrington, falling to a 2-1 defeat despite taking an early lead.

The men from Worcestershire were ahead through Ben Beresford’s first goal for the club, but were pegged back by a goal in each half.

The only change to the Harriers squad on a sunny afternoon at the Cal.delivery Stadium came on the bench, where there was a spot for new man Tope Obadeyi having signed a contract at Aggborough earlier in the week.

Amari Morgan-Smith made the trip but was unable to feature as he continues to work through the concussion protocols triggered by his injury against Radcliffe earlier in the month.

Beresford has been filling the void left by the Harriers Captain and, within five minutes at Warrington, he had his loan team ahead as he planted a header home into the corner of the net from Ashley Hemmings’ delivery.

Hemmings himself might have made it 2-0 on 20 minutes as he advanced into the area, his shot saved well by goalkeeper Dan Atherton, seconds before Beresford saw another attempt blocked.

Two minutes later, an excellent save from Christian Dibble kept his team in front. As the hosts poured forward, Matty Grivosti struck an angled effort low that the custodian got a strong palm to in order to send it into the ground and up and over the upright.

Past the half hour, Paul Downing headed a free kick wide when left in plenty of space inside the area, the hosts equaliser coming from a set play from the hosts at the other end three minutes before the break. A corner wasn’t fully dealt with, and a low shot from Matthew McDonald squirmed past Dibble and in off the post.

Harriers generally dominated the ball on the day but, in the second half particularly, clear-cut chances faded away if favour of more of a war of attrition, Connor Woods effort, over the bar, had to come from a free kick as if to emphasise the game’s scrappy nature.

Six after the hour, Maz Kouhyar cut inside and shot towards the top corner from outside the area, but goalkeeper Atherton was happy enough to watch the ball over the target. Moments later, what looked to be reasonable Harriers penalty shouts were waved away by the match referee Carl Parker after Joe Foulkes appeared to be upended in the area.

With 15 to play, the home side completed their turnaround. The origin was one of a few loose passes on the day as Warrington surged forward, Red shirts streaming back to try and win the ball but helpless as it fell to Mikey O’Neill who slid it under the advancing Dibble to make it 2-1.

Town then did superbly to stifle any real creative threat from Harriers in the final stages of the match, including Dibble’s emergence up-field at a corner, forcing Phil Brown’s men to defeat for the first time this term.

Next up for the side is a home clash against Oxford City at Aggborough on Monday, 3pm.