Harriers progressed to the Quarter Final of the FA Trophy for the eighth time, and the first time since reaching the Final in 2007, with a narrow victory in a dour local derby.

The first proper competitive meeting of the sides since April 1985 was a tense affair with the icy conditions that had forced the postponement of the game two days earlier not much better and prevent either side from playing good football.

Steve Burr made just one change from the side that had beaten Grays in the previous match, Dean Bennett returning to the starting line-up in place of Nathan Hayward.  It was left back Lee Baker who almost got the game off to a flying start, however, when he was allowed to run at the city defence through the inside-left channel before letting fly a blistering drive from 25 yards out that flew narrowly wide.

After that bright start Harriers were given a scare shortly afterwards when they failed to clear a throw in from the right and when the ball fell to ex-Harrier Rob Davies he hit a shot against the far post.  Harriers should have gone ahead on 17 minutes, Brian Smikle on the left and Damian Spencer combined to feed the ball to Aaron Farrell on the right who had more time than he realised and snatched at his shot and sent it wide.

Davies had another opportunity to open the scoring that had the Harriers defence scrambling; Alfie Carter did well on the left wing getting to the byline before pulling the ball back to Davies who saw his shot cleared off the line by Gavin Caines.  On the half hour a crossfield pass from Bennett split the home defence wide open and sent Farrell clear on the right; his low pass into the centre wasn't the best, however, and Spencer mis-controlled and the attack came to nothing.

At the other end Martin Riley got himself into trouble; trying to see the ball out of play he was beaten to it by one-time Harriers trialist Marco Adaggio who pulled the ball back for Rob Elvins, yet another former Harriers trialist, whose shot was blocked on the edge of the penalty area by Caines and Davies blasted the loose ball over the bar.

After the break Harries stepped up a gear and after just five minutes of the second half should have taken the lead; Bennett's corner from the left found an unmarked Chris McPhee who headed over the bar.  City didn't heed this warning and three minutes later were behind; Baker's short throw from the left found John Finnigan who sent a dangerous ball into the middle of the penalty area where McPhee ghosted in unmarked again to turn the ball past Jake Meredith to record his ninth goal of the season.

City had a quick chance to draw level, a corner from the left found Tom Kemp beyond the far post but he sent his looping header back across goal and wide.  Harriers should have wrapped the game up as it moved into the latter stages; with the home defence opened up by a through ball again Smikle raced clear, his shot hit Meredith who had scampered out of the penalty area, the loose ball fell to substitute Kyle Hadley who hit a long-range shot wide.  In the closing minutes Hadley won the ball in midfield and sent McPhee clear but his shot from 20 yards out hit the side netting.