PHIL Brown accepted it was a difficult night for his young Harriers squad at Tamworth on Tuesday.
A youthful Reds side, boosted by a handful of experienced first team players, fell to a 2-0 defeat in the side’s latest pre-season outing.
Speaking after the game, Brown accepted it was a perfect test in terms of replicating much of what will follow for his charges in 2024-25.
He commented: “It was a very difficult test for the young lads, and it was probably as difficult a test for the seniors that were in there, though there were probably only three playing tonight.
“We were asked some serious questions and the questions, for me, were probably synonymous with the questions we’ll be facing during the season: a hostile environment, supporters in your face, challenging for every ball and every decision – all of those things you’ve got to learn to deal with and I don’t think we did, as much as we can do.
“We weren’t expressive enough, we didn’t deal with the conditions as well as I thought we could have done but, for a fairly young team, yes it was a harsh lesson for life in National League North.”
Though sharing some disappointment at the performance on the night, the boss did also point out that the encounter did its job at the stage of pre-season Harriers are at.
Taking such lessons on board with the start of the campaign on August 10th is vital, with Brown adding: “The most important part of perspective is the reality of where we’re at in pre-season compared to the reality of what the first game’s going to look like.
“The first game will always be brutal, it will always be an encounter you’ve hopefully prepared for physically and mentally, but nothing prepares you for that for that first encounter until you’re in amongst it.
“I’ve got enough experience to know that and hopefully the young lads will take on board what I’m saying and trying to put forward and trying to get them to appreciate.
“Tonight was certainly a rude awakening in terms of what we’re going to face.”