KIDDERMINSTER Harriers continued their preparations for the 2021/22 season with a 4-0 win away at Evesham United in tropical conditions.

Jack Tolley, Amari Morgan-Smith, Sam Austin and Ashley Hemmings were on the score sheet for Russ Penn’s men as the squad netted a key 45 minutes each in the baking heat at the Spiers & Hartwell Jubilee Stadium.

Austin had gone close to opening the scoring with a header in the seventh minute before Tolley did find the net with 20 minutes on the clock as he managed to guide a ball into the box beyond the goalkeeper and just inside the post.

Tolley went close again before Harriers had their second on the half hour thanks to a sharp turn and finish from Morgan-Smith. Seven minutes later Austin did get in on the act and made it 3-0, a curling beauty of an effort sailing into the top corner from distance.

In his first run out for the club, Mark Carrington smacked a strike against the bar just before the break.

Penn made a complete team change for the second half but it took not a matter of minutes for Harriers to extend their lead.

Ethan Freemantle won a penalty within seconds and Hemmings took responsibility and converted smartly to make it 4-0.

Chances were fewer in the second half and, with a rare sight of goal, Josh Hunt should have pulled one back for the Robins but he fired over when closing in on Tom Palmer.

Omari Sterling went on to force a good save from the United keeper as the half wore on, while Hemmings twice directed efforts over when trying to add to the score.

After the game, assistant manager Jimmy O'Connor said: "The heat was a major factor today, for the staff and players to manage but thought they did really well in the circumstances.

"I thought Evesham gave us a really good test, especially in that first-half but for a first game back in a long time, there were plenty of positives to take from that.

"The boys have worked really hard up to now. Since we have begun training they had been real professionals and now it's up to us as staff to manage that really with game time.

"We would expect to see the hunger from the players after such a long time out and we saw that today which was good to see."