Kidderminster Harriers 4 Stourbridge 1 - Report
Stourbridge’s hopes of recapturing former glories against Kidderminster Harriers were dashed when they were thumped 4-l after a hat-trick from Ashley Hemmings in the third round of the FA Trophy at Aggborough.
Hot-shot Hemmings was joined on the scoresheet by Ryan McLean with the visitors notching a late consolation goal through Niall Flint.
The Glassboys’ loss ended their dream of repeating the kind of successes they enjoyed against their local rivals in cup competitions in recent years.
Indeed, since 2015 they had beaten Harriers once in the FA Trophy and twice in the FA Cup.
This time, however, it was a totally different story with boss Russ Penn’s National League strugglers stretching their welcome unbeaten run to four matches.
Former Trophy winners Harriers included striker Gold Omotayo, signed from AFC Fylde for an undisclosed fee, on the substitutes’ bench along with midfielder Shane Byrne following his long term knee injury.
Omotayo was drafted on after an hour to replace McLean while Byrne came on later for Reiss McNally.
Stourbridge had ex-Aggborough campaigner Alex Prosser in their starting line-up while another former Kidderminster player Darryl Knights was among their subs.
The visitors had an early scare when a Jack Lambert free kick into the danger area reached Alex Penny, but his header was smartly taken by goalkeeper Charlie Price.
The Glassboys quickly moved up field and Jack Fletcher tried his luck with an angled effort which drifted wide of the far post.
Harriers broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when a clearance out of defence resulted in Joel Kettle attempting to get the ball back to Price, but McLean nipped in to neatly get past the goalkeeper and knock the ball into the net.
It was on-loan McLean’s first goal for the club.
Nine minutes later the lively McLean was up-ended by Price in the area leaving man-of-the-match Hemmings to hit home a twice-taken penalty.
It was the third match in a row that he has found the net.
Harriers went close to adding to their healthy lead on the half hour mark when Kai Lissimore went close with a powerful shot on the turn from close range.
Stourbridge’s rear-guard cracked again, however, in the 34th minute when Hemmings struck for the second time by finishing off a move involving Lambert, Zak Brown, Caleb Richards and McLean.
The Glassboys set about the daunting task of trying to repair the damage in the second half which was ten minutes old before they forced a corner which came to nothing.
Harriers, however, made it 4-0 on 70 minutes when Hemmings completed his hat-trick with a well taken goal which was fashioned by Ben Tollitt.
Price then thwarted the hosts by pulling off a trio of splendid saves to deny Tollitt before the visitors grabbed a expertly struck 89th minute goal through Flint.
Kidderminster: Dibble; Penny, McNally (Byrne, 73), Preston, Richards; Lambert (Maguire, 65), Brown, Lissimore, McLean (Omotayo, 60), Tollitt, Hemmings. Subs not used: Palmer, Pearce, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, McDonagh.
Stourbridge: Price, Shambrook (Portman, 38), Wilson, Prosser, Kettle, Bavanganga, Walters (Steward, 38), King, Benbow (Dowd, 80), Fletcher, Flint. Subs not used: Forde, Solly, Knights.
Referee: Richard Aspinall.
Attendance: 2,159 (612 away fans).
