Kidderminster Harriers 3 Stockport County 1 - Report

They secured their three priceless points thanks to well taken goals from Joe Ironside, James McQuilkin and Dan Bradley.

Fourth placed Harriers were good value for their victory which ended the Hatters’ impressive run of six consecutive victories.

Kidderminster, who won 2-1 in the league at Stockport in October thanks to an Ironside brace, made one change from the side which triumphed 2-1 at Blyth Spartans on Saturday.

Dan Bradley returned after recovering from a knee injury in place of Andre Brown, who was among the substitutes.

Harriers got off to a dream start by going ahead after just four minutes when leading scorer Ironside notched his 21st goal of the campaign with a shot from the edge of the area which was deflected into the net.

Within a minute the visitors caused panic in the Aggborough rear-guard when goalkeeper Brandon Hall pulled off an excellent save to deny Jason Oswell before the loose ball was booted off the line by under-pressure James Pearson.

Fifth-placed Stockport, who knocked Kidderminster out of the Buildbase FA Trophy in January, hit back to equalise on nine minutes when Jimmy Ball combined with Rhys Turner before cutting inside and hammering a powerful shot past Hall.

Harriers regained the lead on 20 minutes when Bradley threaded a pass through to midfielder McQuilkin who ran into the penalty area before knocking the ball past goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe.

Both attack-minded sides continued to plug away at a lively tempo with Bradley going close with a sweetly struck 25 yard drive which was well pushed away by diving Hinchliffe for an unproductive corner in the closing stages of the first half.

Stockport made a positive start to the second period and within minutes Jimmy O’Connor managed to block a goalbound shot from Matty Warburton.

Shortly afterwards a clearance by Hinchliffe rebounded off one of his own players to Ryan Croasdale whose attempt to help the ball into an empty net was thwarted when the ball hit the post.

Harriers, however, were bang on target on 59 minutes with a terrific goal from Bradley who ran from half way in own half before blasting a 20 yard shot past helpless Hinchliffe for his seventh goal in his last six outings.

Kidderminster: Hall; Pearson, O’Connor, Horsfall, Austin; McQuilkin, Croasdale, Weeks; Ngwatala (Waring, 71), Ironside (Brown, 83), Bradley (Sonupe, 61). Subs not used: Truslove, Digie.

Stockport: Hinchliffe; Cowan, Clarke, Stott, Duxbury (Stephenson, 67); Winter (Turnbull, 59), Ball; Thomas, Warburton, Turner; Oswell. Subs not used: Ormson, O’Halloran, Smalley.

Referee: Amy Fearn (Leics).

Attendance: 1,722 (236 away fans).