FA Cup: Kidderminster Harriers 2 Reading 1 - Report

Sam Austin and Amari Morgan-Smith were the heroes as Russ Penn’s team mounted a stirring second half fightback at a sold-out Aggborough.

George Puscas had earlier broken the deadlock for Reading, firing the Championship strugglers ahead on the stroke of half-time.

But the visitors wilted after the break as Harriers hit back to reach the fourth round for the first time since 2014.

Reading can be now be added alongside Blues and Peterborough as the league clubs who have been knocked out of the cup by non-league Harriers.

This was an occasion which proved there is life in the competition yet. The only disappointment was the absence of live TV coverage.

Harriers, fifth in National League North and 79 places below the visitors in the pyramid, were in truth helped by Reading boss Veljko Paunovic naming a much-changed team. The visitors also lost two players to injury during the match.

But Penn’s team grasped the chance with both hands. Once Austin had brought them level, their only looked like being one winner, even through 14 minutes of stoppage time. When the full-time whistle finally went the visitors had played nearly an hour without mustering an effort on goal.

The only disappointment came in the moments afterward. A large-scale pitch invasion saw some home supporters confront those in the visiting section before being moved away by police. Flares thrown onto the pitch after both Harriers goals might also earn the hosts a hefty fine.

Paunovic made eight changes from the team which started last weekend’s 2-2 Championship draw with Derby.

Their line-up featured six players aged 21 or under, including a debut for 18-year-old defender Louie Holzman.

Former Villa loanee Danny Drinkwater, meanwhile, made his first appearance in more than a month following injury. The oldest member of the visiting team, goalkeeper Rafael Cabral, was making his first outing since September.

Harriers, playing for the first time since December 18, were at full strength.

With one team much-changed and the other out of practice, the scrappy opening half-hour was perhaps unsurprising.

But from Harriers point of view, the ease with which they held off the visitors was encouraging.

Reading had the bulk of possession but their only chance was created by home keeper Luke Simpson, who passed straight to Mamadi Camara but then tidied up his own mess by racing out to save at the feet of the striker.

Just past the half-hour mark came a flurry of chances for the hosts. Geraldo Bajrami’s long ball was chested down by Ashley Hemmings before he was bundled over by Tom Holmes. As the former appealed for a spot-kick, Amari Morgan-Smith pounced on the loose ball but was unable to force his shot past the leg of Cabral.

Moments later the keeper made an even more impressive save, diving at full stretch to tip Sterling’s dipping drive onto the top of the bar. From the resulting corner, Mark Carrington was unable to direct a close range header on target with his back to goal.

Harriers and the Aggborough crowd were growing in confidence but on the stroke of half-time found themselves behind. Drinkwater moved the ball on from midfield and though Dele-Bashiru's touch was heavy, the ball fell right into the path of Puscas who smashed it past Simpson.

Reading, who had seen Alen Halilovic limp off late in the half, were forced into another change at the break as Josh Laurent, a midfielder, replaced Holmes in defence.

Kidderminster’s first effort of the second half again came from the boot of Sterling as he smacked a free-kick just wide of the post.

Harriers were finding their confidence again. Sam Austin latched on to a throw, cut inside Ethan Bristow and fired a left-footed shot wide of the far post with an unmarked Sterling screaming for a pass.

Cabral then came to Reading’s rescue when he raced out to narrow the angle and deny Sterling after the visitors had lost possession in their own box.

The Royals were having no luck with injuries. Felipe Araruna, only just back from a year-long injury lay-off, lasted less than four minutes after replacing Dejan Tetek before leaving the match on a stretcher.

On 69 minutes Harriers took advantage. Richards rose at the far post to nod Alex Penny’s deep cross back to Austin and the skipper had time to steady himself before hitting a low shot which squirmed under Cabral. Aggborough erupted.

With nine minutes to go the hosts were ahead. Cabral just about prevented Richards’ cross from creeping in at the far post. Hemmings’ corner went through a crowd of bodies before eventually being forced home by Morgan-Smith.

Flares had been thrown onto the pitch after both goals and the delay in clearing them, together with the injury to Araruna, led to 12 minutes of stoppage time. Early in the period a Reading attack was halted due to a flare thrown by their own supporters.

That proved the most dramatic moment as Harriers saw the match out with ease. The final whistle brought a pitch invasion which threatened to get nasty when a number of supporters from the home end went to confront the visiting fans.

Teams

Harriers (4-2-3-1): Simpson, Penny, Bajrami, Cameron, Richards, Martin (Montrose 90+5), Carrington, Sterling (White 90+13), Austin, Hemmings, Morgan-Smith (Freemantle 84) Subs not used: Lowe, Foulkes, Emery, Tolley, Bastable.

Reading: Rafael, Tetek (Araruna 59 (Stickland 63)), Holmes (Laurent HT), Holzman, Bristow, Drinkwater (Rinomhota 59), Osorio, Dele-Bashiru, Camara, Halilovic (Azeez 40), Puscas Subs not used: Senga, Southwood (gk).