Kidderminster Harriers Reserves 0(0) v (1)2 Halesowen Town

Harriers' interest in the Worcestershire Senior Cup was ended for another season by Halesowen Town but not before they had been made to work very hard for their victory by a very young Harriers side.

John Danby, playing his first game since October 26, was the only senior player in a line-up that was otherwise the Youth Team.  Despite the obvious difference in age and experience between the two sides Harriers acquitted themselves well and played some good football in the middle third of the field and defended well against the Southern League Premier Division side.

Halesowen had the greater share of possession throughout the game and created the better chances but it was not until midway through the first half that Danby, or his defence, was really tested.  Nathan Lamey broke clear but Danby made a good save to keep him out and when the ball was played back into the penalty area Danny Hodnett was on hand to clear Jason Moore's shot off the line.  As the half wore on Town created more chances, Dave Haywood tried a lob from 25 yards that fell comfortably into Danby's arms and then Alex Cowley jinked his way into the penalty area on the right but Danby came out well to save at his feet.

The visitors took the lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half; a free kick deep on the right wing was only half cleared and fell to Lamey on the edge of the penalty area and his low shot through a crowd of players took a deflection to loop past Danby and nestle in the bottom corner of the net.

The second half continued in a similar fashion; Town had most of the possession but Harriers' young defence stood up to them well.  Cowley had a good chance when he evaded his marker on the right but dragged his shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post.  Substitute Simon Forsdick had a couple of opportunities but he was denied on both occasions by Harriers' sub keeper Daniel Lewis, and when Lewis couldn't hold onto the ball Mitch Butler was on hand to clear the danger.

As the game drew to a close Halesowen seemed to get more and more frustrated that they were not beating their young opponents more comfortably and some of their tackling got heavy.  Harriers went in search of the equaliser that would send the game into extra time and threw extra men forward.  With four men in attack, including central defender Hodnett, Harriers were left light at the back and in stoppage time they were caught by a Halesowen breakaway; Paul Danks played the ball through the centre for Cowley to run on to, his shot beat Lewis and Ryan Malcolm chasing back could only help it into the net as he tried to clear it off the line.