KIDDERMINSTER Harriers manager Russ Penn has insisted that his side are “under no illusions” that York City “are not a mid-table team.”

York resume their Vanarama National League North promotion bid with an away trip to Kidderminster tomorrow afternoon (3pm), having been in FA Trophy action last weekend.

City currently sit 13th in the league standings, some 11 points and eight places behind Kidderminster in fifth, although they have played the least games of any side in the division.

Despite a poor first half to the season from the pre-season promotion favourites, former York captain Penn is not taking the Minstermen lightly.

“They will be,” said Penn, when asked about York’s status as promotion contenders.

“We’re under no illusions that they are not a mid-table team.

“The new (interim) manager (John Askey) has come in, he’s made them a lot harder to beat, he’s recruited really well and he’ll continue to recruit because they’ve got the finances and the resources.

“I expect them to be in and around the play-offs come the end of the season.”

During his playing career, Penn represented City more than 100 times across two spells with the club.

The majority of those appearances came in League Two during York’s most recent stint in the English Football League.

Kidderminster players Keith Lowe, Lewis Montrose, Amari Morgan-Smith and Luke Simpson also have past experience at City.

Speaking to the Official Harriers YouTube channel, Penn added: “We’ve got a lot of connections with the (York City) football club, in terms of myself and the players.

“They always bring good crowds and they’re a fantastic football club who are looking to win the league and will still think that is possible.

“But on the flip side, so are we. We are building this club nicely, we’re going in the right direction and we need to continue that.”

Indeed, Kidderminster have seemingly re-established themselves as promotion contenders this season under Penn.

Having finished outside the play-offs in 2018/19 and the curtailed 2019/20, Penn has transformed the Harriers, in what looks set to be his first full season in charge.

Kiddy are currently fifth, 10 points adrift of leaders Gateshead, with two games in hand on the North East club.

Just four defeats have come from their 19 league matches so far this season. Of the sides that have played the same number of games, no team has scored more goals and let in less.

Penn's side were also on a run of 10 games without defeat before losing 2-0 at bottom-half outfit Hereford in midweek.

Undoubtedly though, the highlight of Kidderminster's season has been their run to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

National League promotion chasers Grimsby Town and FC Halifax Town were knocked out before an eye-catching win over Championship side Reading set up a glamour home tie with West Ham United next month.

Whether York can capitalise on Kidderminster players' minds drifting to the thoughts of facing Premier League opposition remains to be seen.