Kidderminster Harriers 2 York City 1 - Report and pictures

Harriers picked up £6,000 in prize-money for a battling win which stretched their unbeaten home league and cup record to 12 matches.

Their last defeat at Aggborough was on the opening day of the campaign when they went down 1-0 against Chorley.

Former Trophy winners Kidderminster, who drew 1-1 at York in a National League North encounter in November, had Pearson and Sonupe back in their starting line-up, but were without defender James O’Connor due to a slight groin strain.

There was also a place on the bench for Lee Vaughan who is stepping up his bid for full fitness after breaking a leg earlier in the year.

York, who lifted the Trophy last season after beating Macclesfield Town 3-2 at Wembley, had former Aggborough campaigner Adam Bartlett in goal while ex-Harriers player Amari Morgan-Smith was among their substitutes.

Harriers put the visitors under pressure when they forced their first corner in the seventh minute. It was taken by Declan Weeks and knocked back by Sonupe to enable Tyrone Williams to get in a header which was well grabbed out of the air by Bartlett.

Kidderminster gradually started to build up the pressure and Sonupe tried his luck with a long range effort which flew high over the bar before Bartlett was called on to comfortably gather a Joe Ironside header following a fine cross from Sam Austin. Shortly afterwards Sonupe was inches away from hitting the target with a powerful 18 yard drive.

The Minstermen worried the hosts shortly after the half hour mark when David Ferguson fired in a low which was saved at the second attempt by Brandon Halk.

Harriers, however, stormed into the lead with two goals in the space of a minute.

Defender Pearson broke the deadlock on 35 minutes by finishing off a shot by Ryan Croasdale which had been blocked in front of goal.

The cheers had barely died down before Sonupe burst on to a Weeks pass and diverted the ball past the on-coming Bartlett as he was challenged by Ferguson. It was his tenth goal of the season.

York made a determined start to the second period which was just a few minutes old before Hall was needed to save a full blooded close range effort from Alex Pattison. They also went close with a Jon Parkin free kick which dipped just off target.

Harriers responded with a powerful 25 yard drive from substitute James McQuilkin which Bartlett did well to push over the bar.

The visitors pulled a goal back in the 76th minute when Morgan-Smith, who came on as a 58th minute substitute, curled the ball into the top corner.

In the last minute they were unlucky with a Dan Rowe shot which hit the outside of a post and then had a Jon Parkin drive brilliantly tipped over by Hall.

Teams

Kidderminster: Hall; Pearson, Williams, Horsfall, Taylor; Weeks, Croasdale; Sonupe, Ngwatala (Wright, 84), Austin (McQuilkin, 60); Ironside. Subs not used: Brown, Truslove, Vaughan.

York: Bartlett; Rowe, Bencherif, Burn, Ferguson; McAllister (Connlly, 65), Moke, Newton (Law, 42), Pattison, Parkin, Gray (Morgan-Smith, 58). Subs not used: Simpson, Parslow.

Referee: Martin Woods (Wigan).

Attendance: 1,138 (89 away fans).