FA Cup 2nd qualifying round
Match report Vs Stafford RangersVenue: AggboroughDate: 21-09-19Att: 950 (away fans: 129)

21-09-19 - Report - FA Cup 2nd Qual Rd - Kidderminster Harriers 0 Stafford Rangers 0

The Harriers fail to break down resilient Stafford

Report: Harriershane

The Harriers welcomed old rivals Stafford Rangers to Aggborough in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup today. For Rangers a plethora of former Harriers were present in both the starting lineup and on the bench whereas Harriers made one change, Harry Higginson coming in for Ryan Johnson who missed out due to a family bereavement it was revealed post-match.

Following a change of ends it was Harriers making the early running, with Rhys Williams heading wide from a corner and Richard Peniket seeing his low drive blocked. The Harriers onslaught continued with Lewis King denying Ashley Chambers and then Peniket again. The visitors continued to be pegged back in their own half, with Luke Jones taking a sharp hit in the face from a Sam Austin effort.

It took half an hour for Stafford to muster an effort on Tom Palmer’s goal with Joe Berks curling over from range. With ten minutes to go until half time Peniket was withdrawn and replaced by Alex Prosser. It was revealed later that the target man had an issue with his hamstring and is probably doubtful for Tuesday night’s replay.

Harriers then had a penalty shout rejected by the referee. Correy Davidson raced into a long ball forward that got him in on goal with King having committed to racing out of his goal. Davidson knocked it past him and then went down. The award was a goal kick which begs the question, if it was a goal kick but no penalty, then shouldn’t Davidson have been cautioned for simulation?

Following that flashpoint King’s goal continued its charmed life with the woodwork coming to the visitors rescue after Chambers struck a ferocious volley off the outside of the post.

HT: 0 – 0

You always felt that no matter how much Harriers had dominated the break would help Stafford more than it would Harriers and that was borne out as Rangers entered the ascendancy.

It has to be said though that chances were somewhat at a premium though as the game became a scrappy affair. The Stafford defence continued to stand firm as Harriers fought their way back into the game but it was the visitors who almost broke the deadlock. Failing to clear their lines the Harriers found themselves in the lap of the gods as the ball ricocheted around the goalmouth before Tom Palmer reached behind him to prevent the ball squirming in.

If that was a warning shot then Harriers failed to heed it as Rangers wasted a golden chance. A diagonal back pass into the box found its way to Dan Burns but, rejecting the opportunity to head across goal, the defender brought the ball down and checked inside before trying to square for a team mate but Harriers scrambled away.

One felt that with more conviction Burns could have sent his side into the next round.

The Harriers found time for one last chance with Prosser sending in a decent ball for an onrushing Milan Butterfield, but the Bermuda international could only nod wide of the mark.

To Marston Road on Tuesday night it is then, and we should know who awaits the winner by then. Spoiler alert…it’ll probably be Stourbridge.

FT: 0 – 0


The Harriers Online MotM is: Correy Davidson

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HarriersGoalsSubsTimeCards
Palmer    
Austin    
Davidson    
R Williams    
Moyo    
Higginson 75 
Weeks    
Butterfield    
Chambers    
E Williams    
Peniket 34 
 
Subs: 
Mountjoy    
Prosser 34 
White    
Shenton 75 
D Lowth    
S Lowth    
Digie    
 
Stafford RangersGoalsSubsTimeCards
King    
J Burns    
Green    
Jones   
D Burns    
Harvey    
Berks 67 
Coulson    
Charles 89 
Garnett    
Davies 82 
 
Subs: 
Hill    
Bignot    
Haworth 82 
Sherratt 89 
Briscoe 67 
Dixon    
Burnett    
     
Referee: 
Mr Richie Watkins
Nuneaton