Promotion chase on for Kidderminster Harriers after FA Cup exit

Thorn's men bowed out of the Cup 1-0 at the Premier League club in front of 3,800 travelling fans.

But Thorn has ordered his players to use the FA Cup adventure as a springboard to chase down Luton at the top of the Conference.

Kidderminster, who return to league action at Hereford on Tuesday, are currently eighth in the table, 15 points behind the Hatters but with games in hand on most of the teams above them.

Thorn said: "We went to a Premier League club as a Conference team and the performance we put in was worth of a league club.

"I have said to the boys 'if that's not a springboard for our season going forward I don't know what will be'.

"We will be going after Luton now in the league because we want to catch them.

"If we can't catch them we will go into the play-offs and get promoted via that route.

"But we have set standards and we can only get better and we're really looking forward to the rest of the season.

"We thoroughly enjoyed the week and we're bitterly disappointed we're not getting another crack at them, but you have to say congratulations to Sunderland."

Harriers are expected to pocket around another £100,000 in gate receipts from Saturday's trip to Wearside after reduced ticket prices attracted a crowd of more than 25,000 to the Stadium of Light.

But Thorn has played down the prospect of splashing the cash on more new signings after handing Frederick Ladapo and Santiago Aloi debuts at the weekend.

He said: "I've got a good set of players, as they proved.

"Freddy is going to be a big asset for us and we have Santiago, who we're just getting up to match fitness.

"Callum Gittings is coming back from injury as well.

"We are adding quality all the time and that's only going to benefit us.

"We are a well-run club and the chairman should take a lot of credit for the way he's turned the club around."