David Noble's tenure as permanent head coach of St Albans City began with defeat and exit from the FA Trophy at home to Kidderminster Harriers

The club had announced the decision to give Noble the job full-time prioer to kick-off, after an impressive stint as caretaker manager.

His first line-up as head coach included youngsters Ben Smith in centre midfield and Riccardo Di Trolio who joined Joy Mukena and Callum Adebiyi in a back three.

The Saints opened the scoring thirteen minutes in with a brilliant opening goal, which featured great build up play from Ben Smith and Devante Stanley down the right who found Zane Banton in a good area between Kidderminster’s defence and midfield. Banton then slipped Mitchell Weiss in behind the defence who showed great pace, strength and composure to find the bottom left corner.

Thirty-two minutes in Jeffers forced Tom Bilson into a brilliant save, getting down to this right well after a nice Saints move down the right.

Kidderminster did little to threaten Dylan Berry in the Saints net throughout the first half as the Saints dominated the first half, and deservedly went into the break a goal up.

Kidderminster started the second half looking like a different team, putting the Saints defence under instant pressure.

They got their equaliser only three minutes into the second half; Zak Brown finding the net thanks to a dangerous ball across the goal from Jack Bearne which Brown gladly finished off.

Dylan Berry was forced into a good reflex save minutes later after Ben Margesten’s shot in the box took a nasty deflection forcing Berry to instinctively fling his right arm at the ball and make the save.

Berry continued his fine form making an excellent double save as the game approached seventy minutes.

Yet again, a few minutes later Berry was forced into another fantastic save down low to his right this time. The youngster on loan from Norwich looks a fine signing with Michael Johnson’s absence.

Both sides were keen to avoid a penalty shootout and upped their intensity with fifteen minutes remaining. Noble showed his intentions, bringing striker Joe Neal on for centre back Joy Mukena seventy-five minutes in.

Kidderminster took the lead 78 minutes in. Last season’s FA Cup hero Amari Morgan-Smith with the goal, following up from a Dylan Berry save unchallenged in the box, and finding the corner.

St Albans’ response to the goal was good but the Kidderminster defence stayed solid and limited the Saints to a few half chances at the most.

The best chance coming in the last few seconds with Jeffers getting a shot on goal but failing to worry Tom Bilson.

After a frantic end, the final whistle was blown by the referee and the Saints make an early exit from the FA Trophy in David Noble’s first game as head coach.

St Albans XI: Berry (GK), Stanley (Sundire 30’), Wiltshire, Adebiyi, Jeffers ©, Banton, Weiss (Morrall 82’), Mukena (Neal 75’), Moore, Di Trolio, Smith.

Subs (not used): Marcimain, Townsend-West, Dawson, Paul.

Kidderminster Harriers XI: Bilson (GK), Richards, Pearce ©, Owen-Evans, Morgan-Smith (Freemantle 84’), Hemmings, Foulkes, Brown, Margetson, Bearne (Rogers 89’), Leesley.

Subs (not used): Palmer, Leak, Martin, Starbuck.