HARRIERS dodged an FA Cup bullet with two late goals to see off Leek Town 2-1 and secure a place in the Third Qualifying Round.

Phil Brown’s men were trailing to a determined and efficient Northern Premier League side at Aggborough.

With Harriers ooking likely victims to a Cup upset as the game edged into its final stages, a brace from Amari Morgan-Smith turned the tie on its head – not least thanks to a 93rd minute winner.

Harriers put their league campaign on ice for a week and went into this Cup tie having eased their injury worries with the addition of Mansfield Town defender George Cooper, only for further misfortune on that front reared its head midway through the first half as the debutant was forced off through injury.

That had come after a bright start from both sides. Nathan Okome had raced away for Leek inside the opening minute but miscued his shot slightly, allowing Christian Dibble to hold. Zak Brown caught his effort at the other end more cleanly, but Dino Visser between the visiting sticks was able to gather.

The Harriers man came closer five minutes later with a close-range finish that Visser had to turn to one side, Tope Obadeyi then planting a header from the corner over the bar with venom.

On the half-hour, Leek went close again as Lucas Weir scooped an effort over, Harriers thumping the woodwork seconds later as Jack Lambert’s arrowed effort had Visser well beaten.

The visitors had the lead four minutes shy of the break, an audacious attempt from Alex Hurst who, from distance, looped the ball beyond the entire Harriers defence clustered in the area, the ball dropping into the far corner of the net.

Obadeyi always looked dangerous and thumped another header inches over in response, Morgan-Smith curling from distance just after the restart and finding Visser in good form.

On 56 minutes Leek had only inches to spare in keeping their lead intact, a loose ball was pounced on by Joe Foulkes who tried to finish, the ball twice blocked by a Leek side who cleared from almost on Christian Dibble’s goal line.

Reece Devine was in the line-up for his first start of the season and, seven after the hour, he chanced his arm from 18 yards, Visser down to expertly turn his effort away before, at the other end, Hurst flashed across goal and wide of the target.

With 78 to go, Harriers got themselves back level, thanks chiefly to the quick thinking of Luke Summerfield at a free kick. He set Devine away, and his expert cross was finished by a lunging Morgan-Smith at the far post.

Even at that late stage, Leek heads never seemed to drop, and there was a feeling they’d escaped with a replay, the minimum their efforts deserved, when sub Seb Thompson’s late headed goal was ruled out for a foul.

That was with 92 minutes on the clock and, a minute later, Aggborough erupted again, only this time it counted – Morgan-Smith pouncing on a ball back to Visser that fell short, keeping his composure to tuck the ball past the advancing custodian to complete the turnaround.