Stourbridge 0 Kidderminster Harriers 1

A healthy crowd of 618 watched the action in this Worcestershire Senior Cup First Round tie on a baking hot night at the War Memorial Ground.

After some untidy early exchanges, Stourbridge survived a 7th minute scare when a throw-out from Gould to Smikle seemed to catch the left-back a little unaware. He looked to turn the ball back to Gould, but Andre Brown nipped in ahead of the home keeper only to Gould to smother his effort.

Stourbridge threatened for the first time after 12 minutes as Green dribbled towards the edge of the area, riding a challenge before seeing his low shot roll wide of Jono Brown's left-hand post.

As the half progressed, the visitors superior fitness as a full-time outfit at this stage of the pre-season build-up was evident as they were sharper to the ball and they passed it round quicker and crisper without really opening up the Stour defence too often. The Glassboys, meanwhile, were struggling to give their front-men any meaningful supply.

In the 19th minute James Hancocks got forward from left-back to push a low shot across goal and wide of the far post and then five minutes later the Harriers trialist defender (wearing 5) headed wide from a left-wing corner.

Just past the half-hour mark, the hosts got in behind the Harriers defence for the first time when a low trajectory goal-kick down-field from Gould bounced through for Brandon Hague who advanced into the left-hand side of the area, only to see his shot blocked by a recovering defender.

Ten minutes before the break, a free-kick from just outside the box from McQuilkin was safely clutched by Gould on his line and then on the stroke of half-time George Taylor combined with McQuilkin down the right and the latter's cross fell invitingly to Jordan Murphy who was denied by Gould's low parried save at the expense of a corner.

As the sun began to disappear behind the trees in the second period so that the shadows on the pitch grew bigger, the tempo of the game appeared to go up a notch after a rather dull first-half as the challenges began to get more meaty.

Certainly the home side raised their game and on 50 minutes Tom Tonks, who grew more influential as the match wore on, clipped a ball into Richards, who turned and struck a low shot that Jono Brown was equal to.

Harriers responded two minutes later with Andre Brown producing a surging run into the Stourbridge box that was thwarted by a well-timed tackle by Joe Hull.

Stourbridge sent on fresh legs with an hour gone with Kayelden Brown and Drew Canavan replacing Heath and Birch. Brown went over to the left flank, while Lait, who had had a frustrating night, came over to the right.

Brown soon made an impact with a pacey driving run down the flank on 69 minutes before whipping in a cross towards the near post where Hague improvised to chest the ball first-time goal-wards and force Brown into a decent save.

Encouraged by this, the Glassboys pushed again a minute later with a Tonks drive from the edge of the box deflected for a corner.

Stourbridge made their final change with 15 minutes left with Dodd sent on in place of Lait, however with penalties looking on the cards, Harriers finally broke the deadlock with two minutes left. Sub Keith Lowe pushed the ball forward through the right-hand channel and a touch from the Harriers trialist (wearing 5) helped the ball into the run of Jordan Murphy who, from a tight angle on the right-hand side of the box, struck an early angled low drive that beat Gould at his near post.

Stourbridge refused to lie down though and applied some concerted pressure in time added on. They had a strong shout for a penalty turned down when Tonks was bundled over inside the area and then Canavan whipped in a fine cross from the right that nobody got on the end of at the far post, but Harriers saw out time to record what was probably a fair result overall. They now go on to face Evesham United away in the semi-finals.