YORK City's 2021/22 National League North campaign got off to a frustrating start as the Minstermen lost 2-1 at home to Kidderminster Harriers.

After an unbeaten pre-season campaign, the Minstermen fell at the first competitive hurdle with a slightly off-the-pace performance at the LNER Community Stadium.

Ashley Hemmings finished a move capitalising on a defensive mistake to give Kidderminster the lead and, after Mackenzie Heaney netted on his debut proper for City, Sam Austin netted a late winner.

There were moments of quality to give hope to City but, across the board, it was not as bright a performance as fans have seen thus far, nor were York able to make the most of their four efforts on target.

The effects of Covid continue to rumble on into this season. Leamington v Gateshead, Darlington v Telford and Chester v Curzon Ashton were all postponed because of positive tests within the three hosts’ squads.

York’s was one of eight to go ahead in the North division, while the South dodged any postponements.

For the Minstermen’s season-opener, Steve Watson went with the same starting 11 from last week’s excellent win at Notts County.

Paddy McLaughlin continued in the left-back slot in the absence of Scott Barrow and Clayton Donaldson was again up in support of Mark Beck and Kurt Willoughby. Both of the latter scored in the 3-2 win in Nottingham.

New signing Lewis Cunningham, an 18-year-old left-sided defender, started the day on the bench.

Kidderminster’s starting 11 featured former City goalkeeper Luke Simpson and defender Keith Lowe, who made more than 90 appearances for York between 2013 and 2015. On the bench was Lewis Montrose, whose stint at Bootham Crescent crossed over with the 35-year-old Lowe.

Amari Morgan-Smith missed out because of a suspension from October 2020, when he was sent off for using “aggravated” bad language in a match against Chester.

Two shots were exchanged in the opening four minutes, Kidderminster’s effort much the closer. After Joseph Foulkes dispossessed Mackenzie Heaney, making his competitive debut for York, a spell of Kiddy pressure ended with Ashley Hemmings putting a low cross into the area and Ethan Freemantle glancing just wide.

City responded with a McLaughlin swinging a good ball towards Beck’s head, glanced away for a corner. After Olly Dyson’s cross – another neat one into the dangerous six-yard box area – was cleared, McLaughlin followed with an ever-rising left-footed effort which went well over.

York were playing some good football and dangerous with the whipped crosses into the area. Kidderminster were not short a decent delivery or two either, and Pete Jameson had to do well under pressure to punch away Omari Sterling’s wicked corner towards the goal line.

Sterling might have been better with a lofted free kick as well when, on 20 minutes, Sean Newton was pulled up for an acrobatic hand ball just outside the area and the Kiddy attacker pulled back for Hemmings, who blazed well over.

He accepted his second invitation with aplomb, however. Martin Keziah played a perfect ball between Michael Duckworth and Sam Fielding to Sam Austin, who was in plenty of space in the York box and able to pick out the approaching Hemmings. The former Wolves youth thumped in from close range.

Kidderminster were sharp on the counter and exploited the space in the centre of the park well. With five players forward awaiting crosses from the advanced wide men, there was plenty of it.

But three times within the space of five minutes around the half-hour did York almost see the triumph of their technique. Clayton Donaldson had two very good headers – both from left-wing crosses and both where he had to generate extra power and direction – matched for quality by Simpson, before Beck powered a more straightforward header just wide from close in.

At the back, Duckworth and Jameson both put on impressive solo defensive displays. Duckworth put in a perfect tackle inside the area to remove the ball from the flashing feet of Sterling, who then had a shot saved when one-on-one with a spread-eagled Jameson.

By the end of the first half, the frustration for City was that they had not played badly but had not been as incisive as in pre-season and were punished for one of a few lapses around their defensive third. Added to in-play grievances was Simpson’s unwavering insistence on holding on to the ball for as long as possible at goal kicks.

It took just 40 seconds after the restart for Heaney to lift the mood. Latching on to a cross-field ball towards the penalty area, flicked on by Donaldson, he thumped a left-footed shot across Simpson and in for the equaliser.

How York were not ahead by the 54th minute was simply testament to Kidderminster’s determination to get between the ball and the goal. In the minutes between the equaliser and then, Keziah blocked a Newton free kick (or, rather, Newton’s free kick thundered into Keziah) before Joe Foulkes headed Willoughby’s flicked effort off the line for a corner. Dyson’s set piece went into a melee from which a York header was saved before a sliding Donaldson was denied by any number of bodies in blue.

Shortly after the hour, Jameson pulled off a wonderful stop of his own, at point-blank range from Austin, who struck a cross first time from a narrow angle inside the six-yard box.

There was then a threatening moment when Austin showed good pace to play a one-two past McLaughlin and cross into the area, but Fielding read the move well and put the ball out for a corner.

With 20 minutes to go, Jameson’s interventions looked to be becoming increasingly vital, saving well from Hemmings after dangerous substitute Nyal Bell had charged down the right and centred. His stop from Bell in the 83rd minute was even better. In the area, the striker had the composure to drag back and tee himself up with a clear path to goal but Jameson got down excellently to deny him.

Jameson was finally beaten for a second time with just three minutes to go when Austin's shot from range took a significant deflection and looped into the back of the net.

York: Jameson 7, Duckworth 6, Newton 5, McLaughlin 6, Dyson 5 (Woods 5, 63), Willoughby 5, Donaldson 6, Heaney 5 (Hopper 88), Beck 5, Fielding 5, Wright 6. Subs not used: Hopper, Jones, Campbell, Cunningham.

Heaney (46)

Star man: Pete Jameson. Made some excellent stops with his superb positioning and reactions to keep York in the game at key moments.

Kidderminster: Simpson, Foulkes, Lowe, Cameron, Richards, Keziah, Carrington, Austin, Sterling-James (Penny 55), Hemmings (Montrose 78), Freemantle (Bell 71). Subs not used: Emery, White.

Goals: Hemmings (21), Austin (87)

Attendance: 2,019

Referee: Michael Barlow

Match stats for York / Kidderminster

Shots (on target): 9 (4) / 12 (8)

Corners: 3 / 7

Offsides: 0 / 4

Fouls: 10 / 6