Harriers edged into the Second Round of the FA Cup for just the fifth time in their 117-year history
after being given a late scare by Conference strugglers Northwich.
Jan Molby made one enforced change to the side that had drawn with Cambridge in the previous game, bringing
Sam Shilton back into the team at left back in place on the on-loan Steve Burton who Hull City would not
allow to play. Bo Henriksen also made a welcome return to the squad as one of the substitutes. Harriers
made the best of a scrappy opening and could have taken the lead after ten minutes when Andy White found
John Williams on the right who got into the penalty area turning his marker inside out before firing a shot
goalwards that Andy Woods did well to keep out.
Harriers didn't, however, play at the same tempo as they had done in the previous game and could not get their
game to flow properly and although they dominated possession the breakthrough did not come. The visitors did
their best to frustrate Harriers and keep them at bay while not really threatening in attack. Just before
the half-hour mark John Williams had another chance with a shot on the turn that he lobbed just over the bar. Soon
afterwards Matt Gadsby had a chance: Woods flapped at Shilton's right wing corner, the ball fell to Gadsby whose
shot was cleared off the line by Ryan Zico Black. The breakthrough came six minutes before the interval,
Gadsby was involved again finding space on the right and despite the ball appearing to hit his arm he was allowed
to send over a looping cross to the far post where Dean Bennett arrived to head in his first goal of the season.
After the break Vics had more conviction about their play and began to get themselves into the game, their first
shot on target arrived just two minutes into the half; Steve Garvey found himself unmarked on the left but his
volley was hit weakly straight into the arms of Stuart Brock. Harriers replied with a John Williams header
that, also, was straight at the keeper from Danny Williams' right wing cross and then soon after Danny Williams
popped up on the left wing to cross to the far post where White got up well but under pressure from his marker
headed just over the bar. Shilton swapped wings as Harriers pressed for a second and whipped in a low cross
that just evaded the reach of John Williams, any touch by the big man would have been enough to turn the ball in.
In a double substitution on the hour Harriers introduced Henriksen and Rob Betts in place of Sean Parrish and Gadsby
respectively and the Dane was soon making his presence felt with a curling sot from 20 yards that went narrowly
wide of the far post after a neat interchange of passes with Bennett. With twenty minutes left Northwich had
another good opportunity as they began to press forward in search of an equaliser, Black crossed low from the right
and found Mark Devlin whose attempt to sweep the ball home at the near post went in slow motion straight to Brock. Ten
minutes later the Devlin was involved again, Chris Thompson got clear on the right and his cross was fired over the
bar by Devlin. Eight minutes from time Northwich had a free kick on the right wing that found the head of
Mark Foran but he could only direct the ball at Brock.
Within a minute Harriers were two up and apparently safe, Henriksen found John Williams on the right wing who beat
Kieran Charnock and crossed into the danger area where an unmarked Bennett was able to head into the far corner.
Just to make things interesting Harriers' defence decided to go AWOL as the visitors pumped a hopeful ball forward
and Thompson was able to turn and tuck the ball inside Brock's right-hand post and set up a grandstand finale. Despite
this aberration Harriers were able to hold on for the final few minutes and see themselves into the hat for the Second
Round draw. |
