HARRIERS were dumped out of the FA Cup after being soundly beaten 3-0 in a replay at Stafford Rangers.

As they did at Aggborough, Harriers created plenty of opportunities, but their inability to break down a stubborn Rangers side was again their undoing as they paid the ultimate price at Marston Road.

Their thin squad was stretched further before the game with the news that both Richard Peniket and Ed Williams were ruled out with injury.

John Pemberton drafted in Alex Prosser to replace Williams, while the void left by Peniket was filled by Shane Lowth, the U23s graduate striker who made his first start for the club. Ryan Johnson, missing for the initial Stafford tie, returned and replaced Harry Higginson.

Both sides traded early half-chances, Weeks going closest for Harriers, before the home side took the lead in the first period; a 28th-minute cross tucked home by Burns at the far post, with no Harriers man on hand to deal with it.

Chances were at a premium for the visitors, who tried to respond through Weeks soon after, but the tie looked to be beyond reach when a superb second arrived for Stafford five before the break. Garnett had hit the post from close range but, with the ball only half cleared, Tom Palmer was left helpless as Green fired it back over a crowd and into the back of the net.

It took until ten minutes after the break for Harriers to fashion another serious chance of their own, Davidson nodding over Austin's fine delivery, before Johnson and Davidson once more were both denied by goalkeeper King, pressure finally beginning to build.

Milan Butterfield saw a shot blocked six past the hour before the best Harriers chance of the night arrived, sub White doing well to advance before being halted illegally in the area by Green. Chambers stepped up for the resultant penalty, but fired over the target.

That in truth seemed to suck the last of the resolve from the visiting players, who fell to a third goal - cruelly enough, a Stafford penalty - Charles slamming the ball home to make it another 3-0 FA Cup success for the Boro with four minutes left of normal time.

HARRIERS: Palmer, Austin, Davidson (Shenton 79) , Johnson, Williams, Moyo, Prosser (Higginson 55), Weeks, Butterfield, S. Lowth (White 61), Chambers.

Subs not used: Mountjoy, D. Lowth, Fuller, Freemantle.

Attendance: 663 Referee: Ed Duckworth