Bromsgrove Rovers 1 Kidderminster Harriers 3
UNLUCKY Bromsgrove played well but found a youthful Harriers side too sharp as they crashed out of the Worcestershire Senior Cup at the Victoria Ground on Tuesday night.

The Greens had taken the lead through Luke Findley but their county rivals replied with three goals.

However, there were many positives for manager John Snape to take on board.

Harriers fielded a side packed with players from the fringes of the first and a host from the youth side.

The full-strength home team started well and striker Joshua McKenzie came close in the seventh minute when he directed a header over the bar from Cameron Jones' right-wing cross.

Harriers keeper Jasbir Singh dropped a dangerous cross from Jones in the 10th minute and from distance Paul Lloyd shot wide.

While the away side still took their time to settle, Rovers tried to take advantage and forced two corners in two minutes. But on both ocassions, Harriers dealt with them effectively.

Striker Aaron Farrell tried to put the pressure on Rovers with a slide-rule pass, but keeper Karl Lewis rushed out and beat Robert Thompson-Brown to the ball.

Rovers took a deserved lead in the 21st minute when winger Findley's shot from the edge of the box looped into the back of the net.

But Harriers levelled the scores two minutes later when Farrell slid into bundle the ball over the goal-line.

After the flurry of goals, the game tightened up, with neither side creating much in terms of chances.

Rovers still looked the more enterprising side and Danny Scheppell had a good chance for a cross but his delivery was wayward, while McKenzie shot wide.

Kyle Hadley raced clear to latch onto Nathan Hayward's astute long ball forward but his cross flew over Lewis' bar.

As the first half wore on, Harriers started to impose themselves on the match but they were almost caught out on the counter-attack in the 40th minute.

Findley sped beyond Liam Dolman and delivered a cross but Joe Hull blocked Cameron Jones' shot.

Harriers winger Chris Seeking swapped passes with David McDermott on the left and sent in a curling cross that Matt Gardiner headed out.

But Harriers went ahead on the stroke of half-time against the run of play, when from long range Liam Dolman let-fly with a powerful effort that flew into Lewis' top left corner.

Rovers almost levelled the scores a minute into the second half when Danny Campbell raced beyond Zac Costello and squared the ball to McKenzie but he was denied by Tom Sharpe's brave block.

Jones forced Singh into a decent save moments later. The former Shrewsbury man dived to his right to block the winger's effort after he had cut in from the right flank.

The keeper then dived on the ball as McKenzie sped into the box less than a minute later.

Findley stung the Singh's palms on the hour mark with a firm 20-yard strike.

Three minutes later, Harriers made a triple substitution, with rookies Matt Grainger, Louis Loader and Jordan Crumpton replacing David McDermott, Chris Seekings and Aaron Farrell.

The away side wrapped up victory in the 71st minute when Grainger headed in the their third goal of the game.

Thompson Brown nearly caught out Lewis moments later with a cheeky chipped effort, but the shot-stopper did well to palm it away.

Grainger almost added a second in the 76th minute but his long-range effort flew wide.

Harriers had the impetus and Hadley sent a raking right wing ball across the face of goal that no one could connect with in the 79th minute.

Jemiah Richards was shown a yellow card in the 81st minute after a heavy challenge of Dolman.

Thompson-Brown came close with a close range header, but Lewis did well to block it at this right-hand post.

The impressive Jemiah Richards limped off late on for Rovers and was replaced by Snape.

Sing ensured Harriers kept their two-goal-advantage when he tipped Scheppel's shot onto the bar in the 92nd minute.

However, it was too-little-too-late, as Harriers progressed in the cup and crisis club Rovers, who are in administration, crashed out.

Harriers: Singh; Dolman; Sharpe; Hull; Costello; Seekings (Loader, 63); Hadley; Hayward; Thompson-Brown; Farrell (Crumpton, 63); Grainger, McDermott (Wilkins, 63).

Unused substitutes: Rovers: Lewis; Gill; Hancox (Street, 58); Gardiner; Richards (Snape, 88); Lloyd; Jones; Scheppel; McKenzie; Campbell (Spence, 71); Findley.

Unused substitutes: Ray; Darby.

Referee: John Lan. Attendance: 137