Date: Saturday 8th November 2008
Competition: FA Cup 1st round
Weather at kick-off: sunny, breezy
Goals:
Kidderminster: Richards 17' (pen)

Kidderminster Harriers:
Adam Bartlett, Keith Lowe, Martin Riley, Mark Creighton (c), Lee Baker; Martin Brittain, Russell Penn (Dean Bennett 30'), Andy Ferrell, Brian Smikle; Matthew Barnes-Homer (Stefan Moore 89'), Justin Richards.
Subs not used: Darryl Knights, David McDermott, Michael Bowler, Nathan Hayward, Dean Coleman,

Booked: Penn foul 9', Richards unsporting conduct 41'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Robbie Willmott (Felino Jardim 55'), Paul Carden (c), Jon Challinor, Chris Holroyd (Ben Farrell 83'), Danny Crow (Mark Beesley 68'), Lee McEvilly.
Subs not used: Josh Coulson, Jordan Collins, Mark Convery, Stephen Drench.

United paid the FA Cup penalty as Justin Richards converted a first half spot kick, and despite a host of second half chances Kidderminster keeper Adam Bartlett kept the U's at bay almost single-handedly for the rest of the game.

Gary Brabin returned to a more familiar line-up following Tuesday's Setanta Shield exit at Telford on Tuesday, and made two changes to the side that drew against Rushden last weekend. Tuesday's hat-trick hero Lee McEvilly earned a recall following suspension and replaced Mark Beesley who needed seven stitches in his face following a clash during Saturday's game, and Chris Holroyd replaced Felino Jardim.

After their Setanta Shield exit at Burton on Tuesday, Kidderminster manager Mark Yates also reverted to a more familiar line-up and named the same side that beat Grays 2-0 last Saturday.

The match was preceded by a minute's silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, and as the action got underway the home side made a lively start, Barnes-Homer seeing his early shot charged down and Smikle's follow-up cross deflected behind by Gleeson.

United were operating an attacking system with Willmott and Holroyd on the wings and McEvilly and Crow up front, and Willmott gave early warning with a good run and cross that was charged down, while McEvilly's powerful fourth minute shot was bravely charged down by Harriers' skipper Mark Creighton.

Russell Penn and Paul Carden were competing hard in the central midfield area and in the ninth minute Penn ran a long way to lunge into a challenge on Paul Carden and received the first yellow card of the match, and a minute later earned a talking-to from the referee after shoving the U's captain in the back..

Both sides looked threatening going forward but less secure in defence and on 16 a good ball into the United area split the defence, but Barnes-Homer slipped as he met the ball and put it high and wide from four yards out.

But a minute later Justin Richards cut inside and turned Wayne Hatswell before going down inside the area under the defender's challenge. Richards himself stepped up to take a good penalty, sending Potter the wrong way and putting the home side ahead.

Kidderminster threatened again on 21 when Riley met a corner with a free header that looped onto the roof of the net, while United had a free kick in a dangerous position four minutes later and McEvilly curled it over the wall and narrowly over the bar.

There was end to end action on 27 following a U's corner when Hatswell showed good footwork as he cut in from the right and drew a low save from Bartlett, and the Harriers keeper launched a quick counterattack that forced Potter to race to the edge of his area and clear under pressure from two charging forwards.

Strong challenges were flying in all over the pitch, and perhaps with that in mind Mark Yates made an early change on the half-hour to send on Dean Bennett in place of the already-booked Russell Penn. The midfielder was clearly angry and appeared to clash with his manager as he came off and threw his tracksuit top to the ground before being led to the dressing-room.

United were showing fleeting signs of getting back into the game and Lee McEvilly was alert to a loose ball in midfield and raced forward before trying to pick out Crow but unfortunately his pass was overhit. Then on 35 Hatswell nodded a corner on from the edge of the area and Phil Bolland put a looping header wide from six yards.

The lively Justin Richards was causing constant problems and he showed great control to bring down a long ball on the edge of the area, held off Hatswell and turned to draw a low save from Potter. But on 41 his control let him down when he muscled past Bolland into the area but pushed the ball too far ahead of himself then went down dramatically as Potter saved at his feet. He appealed dramatically for a penalty but Mr Tierney was unimpressed and instead booked him for the dive.

The home side had been threatening at set pieces and when Bolland and Richards tangled again just before half-time Kidderminster defender Riley headed the free kick narrowly over the bar, while the United supporters were as subdued as their players at the half ended.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A match with both sides playing attacking formations but so far it has worked best for Kidderminster who have the goal through a penalty and might have had one more, while United haven't posed too much of a threat going forward. It's the same old story so far at Aggborough."

Second half:
United resumed with much greater urgency and earned an early free kick when Holroyd was brought down, and then a corner when Carden picked out Challinor whose cross was cleared behind.

Kidderminster carved out an excellent chance on 49 when some intricate one-touch football on the edge of the U's area ended with Richards but his left-footed shot ran just wide, and United went agonisingly close a minute later when Willmott's excellent run and cross from the right was met by McEvilly but Riley made a superb defensive header to prevent what looked like a certain goal.

United threatened again on 54 when McEvilly slid the ball to Holroyd who touched it to Crow, he held off a defender then slipped as he shaped to shoot, still managed to work the ball goalwards but it hit a defender and was cleared.

Gary Brabin made his first substitution on 55 to send on Felino Jardim for Willmott, and the Dutchman made an immediate impact, showing great skill to cut inside his marker and unleash a left-footed drive that beat the keeper but smashed against the bar.

The chance lifted the United supporters behind that goal and a corner swiftly followed, which was headed goalwards by Phil Bolland and looked a goal all the way until Bartlett produced a superb save from under his own bar.

Having survived that spell of pressure Kidderminster broke away to threaten on 58 when Bennett's shot from the left was spilled by Potter but the U's keeper recovered well to scramble Barnes-Homer's follow-up shot behind.

With a place in the second round at stake and only one goal separating the sides the chances kept arriving at both ends. On 65 Tonkin broke down the left and floated a cross but Bartlett spooned it away from under his bar, and although the resulting corner fell to Bolland's feet the shot was blocked and cleared

Then Lee McEvilly spread the ball wide to Jardim who jinked inside and beat a defender but Bartlett got down to smother the ball, while for Kidderminster Ferrell advanced through the middle and lifted a rising shot over the bar from 25 yards.

Mark Beesley came off the bench for Danny Crow in the 68th minute, his head swathed in protective bandages following his seven stitches last Saturday, and he went close to levelling the scores seven minutes later.

Felino Jardim had lifted United since his introduction and he created two openings in quick succession; first he released Holroyd for a run on goal but the young striker was well-intercepted by Riley, then Jardim crossed for Beesley whose well-struck low shot was pawed away by Bartlett.

The former Newcastle academy keeper was keeping his side in the game and he continued his good work when Beesley beat the offside trap and advanced one-on-one with Bartlett but he thwarted the visitors yet again.

On 79 Barnes-Homer got his head to a cross but he had Wayne Hatswell in his face and headed a yard wide under pressure, and seconds later McEvilly released Challinor into the box but he slipped and Riley hacked the ball away.

Ben Farrell replaced Holroyd in the 83rd minute and the midfielder was busy immediately, releasing first Jardim then Challinor for runs at the Kidderminster defence that earned the first of two corners that were just about dealt with by Kidderminster.

The closing minutes were played at a frantic pace with half-chances at either end and Mark Yates killed a little time by sending on former Aston Vila striker Luke Moore for Barnes-Homer in the 89th minute. In stoppage time Jardim's cross for McEvilly was flicked to Beesley but the offside flag ended a good move, just before the final whistle ended an entertaining but ultimately disappointing FA Cup tie. The search for a first win at Aggborough since 1959 continues.

Referee: Mr P. Tierney

Attendance: 1,717 (away 300)

Match Summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"The Aggborough hoodoo struck again to end United's cup aspirations in a game where the home keeper was the Man of the Match. Trailing to Justin Richards' 17th-minute penalty, United did everything but score after the break. Phil Bolland and Mark Beesley were thwarted by the brilliant Adam Bartlett and even when the Kidderminster guardian was beaten by Felino Jardim's rasping drive, the crossbar came to his rescue. The U's gave their all in a cracking cup tie but they haven't won at Kidderminster since 1959 and on today's evidence you can perhaps see why."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Dan Gleeson - a very solid performance again at right-back, getting forward well and making some good interceptions too. Honourable mention to the other full-back, Anthony Tonkin, whose overlapping and general play showed why he was brought to the club, and Felino Jardim who nearly turned the game in United's favour when he came on."

Ref: Mr Tierney - maybe a contentious decision or two either way with the penalty that was given and the one that wasn't given to Kidderminster. Other than that he controlled the game and tempered spice without an abundance of yellow cards. 7/10."

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