Harriers 0, Stafford Rangers 0

HARRIERS will head for an FA Cup replay after a goalless draw against Northern Premier League side Stafford Rangers.

Kidderminster were left to rue wasteful first half finishing against a solid Stafford side that then dug deep to take the hosts back to Marston Road.

Reds made one change from the side that beat Altrincham last weekend as Harry Higginson came in to replace the absent Ryan Johnson.

It was Harriers that worked the first effort at goal after just three minutes but Rhys Williams couldn’t direct Declan Weeks’ corner on target after rising 10 yards out.

Harriers enjoyed plenty of possession early on as they worked the ball neatly through midfield.

It was more good build-up play down the left that led to Harriers’ second chance of the game when Correy Davidson found Ash Chambers at the back post; the forward’s header easily gathered by visiting keeper Lewis King.

The hosts were having joy down the flanks and probably should have been ahead on 17 minutes but Rich Peniket couldn’t make clean contacts after Sam Auston’s marauding run down the right.

Kidderminster continued to chalk up the chances and again called King into action on the half hour mark when Correy Davidson tested him with a low drive.

Stafford managed their first effort of the afternoon on 32 minutes when Joe Berks forced Tom Palmer to collect his drive from range.

Josh Green then had Palmer backtracking moments later when his curling shot from 25 yards sailed narrowly wide.

Harriers continued to attack their lower league visitors but were thwarted by the upright on 38 minutes as Chambers met substitute Alex Prosser’s deep cross from the right.

The busy Lewis King made sure the clash remained goalless at half time when he tipped Ed Williams’ dipping shot over the bar.

Harriers began the second period with more long spells of possession without finding the all-important final ball to get beyond the Rangers rearguard.

Those chances that were so abundant in the first half had suddenly dried up.

It meant Stafford continued to grow in confidence as they dug in to leave the clash firmly in the balance heading into the final 20 minutes.

The visitors looked to pose a threat on the break and had a penalty shout turned down as Jake Charles went down under the challenge of Rhys Williams with the Reds caught upfield.

Stafford nearly broke the deadlock on 73 minutes but a deflection on Sam Coulson’s close-range shot meant Palmer was able to gather on the goal line.

Harriers needed something special but their lack of ideas throughout the second half was summed up with Ed Williams’ drive from 25 yards on 74 minutes that was never troubling King. The home side continued to press for a winner but couldn’t find a way past a well-organised Rangers defence.

King pushed away sub Ollie Shenton’s low shot before Milan Butterfield poked an effort wide in injury time as Reds were left frustrated.

They now head to Stafford on Tuesday night as they look to book their place in the next round.

Harriers: Palmer, Austin, Davidson, R. Williams, Moyo (c), Higginson (Shenton 75), Weeks, Butterfield, Chambers, E. Williams, Peniket (Prosser 34).

Unused subs: Mountjoy, White, D. Lowth, S. Lowth, Digie.

Stafford: King, J. Burns, Green, Jones (c), D. Burns, Harvey, Berks (Briscoe 68), Coulson, Charles (Sherratt 89), Garnett, Davies (Haworth 82).

Unused sub: Hill, Bignot, Sherratt, Dixon, Burnett.

Att: 950 (129)