A young Harriers side progressed to the semi-finals of the Worcestershire Senior Cup with a narrow, but comfortable, victory over local rivals Stourport.

Most of the regular senior players were rested and opportunities were given to fringe players such as John Danby, Nick Heath, Rob Betts and Sam Shilton.  Stourport included ex-Harriers Jay Powell, DAvid Davies, Rob Taylor, Willie Dunn and Andy Wright.

Harriers were always in control of the game, although Stourport gave a spirited opposition and tried to play some decent football when the ycould get the ball, and some of the younger players such as Simon Fitter slotted in well and gave good performances.  It was the home team that was first to threaten a goal with the lively Scott Rickards picking up a pass from Shilton and hitting an angled shot across Lee Evans that the keeper could only parry but there was nobody following up to capitalise.  Shilton also went close when he got on the end of a good deep cross from Heath but headed it onto the roof of the net.

Swifts threatened on the break, just after the half-hour mark a good through ball left Taylor clear but Danby was quick to react and saved the shot well with his legs.  Then, on the stroke of half time Richard Kavanagh hit a blistering drive from over 25 yards that only just went over the bar.

Just after the break Kavanagh tried his look from distance again with an even more powerful shot that was this time on target but Danby got down well to his right to hold it.  Shortly afterwards Harriers opened the scoring; Shilton picked up the ball just outside the Swifts' penalty area and tried a shot that was charged down, the ball ran to Betts who danced past two defenders into the box and then coolly rolled the ball past Evans with the outside of his right foot.

Taylor lashed a shot narrowly wide as Stourport pushed for an equaliser and had it been on target Danby would have been struggling to reach it.  As time wore on Harriers' superior fitness began to show and they should have wrapped the game up.  Shilton, who was dangerous throughout, got to the byline on the left and hit a good cross to the far post where Betts headed it back across goal but the visitors scrambled it away.

Twenty minutes from time Parrush set Shilton through on goal but Evans was quick off his line to avert the danger and then Swifts quickly counter-attacked with Duncan Willetts racing into the Harriers penalty area but Danby raced out to save at his feet.  Danby almost gifted a goal to the visitors soon afterwards, his kick going to John Shirley who fired it straight back but the keeper recovered well and made a good diving save.  Rickards, who had started well but faded as the game drew to an end, wasted a glorious chance to end the game late on when he received a pass from Shilton but dragged his shot wide from hte edge of the penalty area.  In stoppage time Harriers were given a scare when Swifts won a corner and threw a horde of bodies forward but the home team were able to scramble the ball clear and see out the remainder of time.