02-10-21 – Report – FA Cup 3rd Qual Rd – Ware FC 1 Kidderminster Harriers 1

Harriers fail to capitalise

Report: Phil Lench

The Harriers saw their passage into the next round of the FA Cup snatched from their grasp just minutes from time in a game, at Ware FC,  that had seen them go one up through Amari Morgan-Smith just forty five seconds into the game. After failing to capitalise on that lead heartbreak would obviously come and come it did when Leigh Rose equalised for his side just two minutes from normal time to scenes of jubilation from the home fans.

We now face a replay at Aggborough on Tuesday evening when we will know who we could face in the next round and that should, hopefully, give us the impetus to go through. Then again Ware will be thinking the same.

This was our second ever visit to Wodson Park, the home of Ware, having been there in the same competition way, way back in 2007. Now playing on an artificial pitch the teams turned out in pouring rain hoping that it wouldn’t be a dampener on our mission. That was to look achievable just seconds in when Jaiden White crossed the ball for Sammy Austin to play the ball onwards into Morgan-Smith who smashed it into the back of the net. 

In the fifteenth minute came an incident that no one wanted to see when our on loan full back, Joe Foulkes, was fouled while passing the ball forwards. He went to ground and following extensive treatment he was stretchered from the pitch with a suspected knee injury to be replaced by Alex Penny. He was later seen on crutches so it seems very unlikely that he will feature for us on Tuesday evening.

Penny was soon in action firing a ball across the face of Bradley Robinsons’ goal. Ware responded with a good chance for Liam Hope that he sent over the bar. In turn our reply was a chance for the returning Mark Carrington that was saved at the foot of the post by the keeper.

HT: 0 – 1

In the second half the tables began to turn.

We had the first chance on goal when Keziah Martin saw his shot saved after Morgan-Smith had set him up but then Ware had a penalty call turned down after they had believed that the ball had caught a Harriers defensive arm.

Ware then began to up their game while we didn’t. A shot in a crowded Harriers area from Patrick Adamson saw the Reds defence hold strong to stop it going past Luke Simpson and then a few minutes later Leigh Rose had a goal chalked off following an offside decision. A minute later Louis Rose, the brother of Leigh, sent in a header that was cleared from the line in a last ditch action from our defenders. 

A very quiet Ashley Hemmings popped a free kick onto the underside of the bar in the seventy second minute and then a minute later Austin swapped passes to then test the keeper with a shot that he had to parry over his crossbar. Nyal Bell replaced Morgan-Smith soon after in an effort to give our attack some fresh legs. 

The introduction of Bell didn’t go as planned though because just two minutes from time, and building pressure from the hosts, saw them draw level and earn them a replay. 

A shot came in that Simpson could only push away only for the ball to fall to the feet of the waiting Leigh Rose to return the ball back in and beyond the reach of the Harriers keeper. Scenes of jubilation arose from the Ware fans while the Harriers fans trudged away deflated to face a return game at Aggborough on Tuesday evening.

FT: 1 – 1

Goal for Ware FC: Leigh Rose 88

Goal for Harriers: Morgan-Smith 1

The Harriers Online MotM is: Geraldo Bajrami (chosen by Harriershane)

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Ware FC	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Robinson
Adamson
Louis Rose
Arthur
Buchanan
Mulley			64
Skandari
Millner
Adu-Donyinha			78
Hope
Leigh Rose
Subs:
Gannon
Bruno			64
Dulson			78
Crowter
Esprit
Madden
Rumens
Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Simpson
Foulkes			15
Richards
Cameron
Bajrami
Carrington
Austin
Martin
Morgan-Smith			76
Hemmings
White
Subs:
Emery
Penny			15
Bell			76
Lissimore
Lowe
Freemantle
Tolley
Referee:
Mr Wayne Cartmel
Luton