Trophy holders take big step towards Wembley.
Kidderminster Harriers 1-5 Stevenage Borough
The FA Carlsberg Trophy
Semi-Final First Leg
3pm, Saturday 13 March
Aggborough Stadium, Kidderminster Harriers FC
Winning clubs receive £16,000 from The FA's prize fund
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FA Trophy holders Stevenage Borough have one foot in The Final after taking Kidderminster Harriers apart in their Semi-Final first leg at Aggborough.
The Hertfordshire club will take a resounding four-goal advantage back the Lamex Stadium after a headed brace from David Bridges, a poacher’s strike from Yemi Odubade and two Chris Beardsley second-half goals saw Boro to a 5-1 victory over a below-par Kidderminster side.
Graham Westley’s team, who are chasing promotion to the Football League and sit top of the Conference Premier, have now won 19 of their last 21 matches in The FA Trophy.
They will have expected a tougher encounter against a Kidderminster side who also suffered defeat to today’s opponents at this stage of the competition three years ago.
Despite a bright start from the hosts, Stevenage had too much quality in the final third and now look set to reach their second successive FA Trophy Final.
Both left-back Lee Baker and winger Brian Smikle tested Stevenage goalkeeper Chris Day in the opening 15 minutes, but Kidderminster’s hopes of progressing to the Wembley Final suffered a first blow when midfielder Bridges gave the visitors a 25th minute lead.
The wideman was left unmarked to head beyond home goalkeeper Ross Atkins, much to the disappointment of the crowd gathered behind the goal.
With their Wembley dreams hanging in the balance, Kidderminster needed a quick reply and they got it, at least initially, through Gavin Caines. The centre-half skillfully evaded a challenge on the edge of the Stevenage 18-yard box before lashing a superb strike high beyond the helpless Day.
However, their joy was short-lived as more poor defending allowed the dangerous Mitchell Cole to get to the byline and the former Southend man pulled back to provide Odubade with a simple tap in from four yards.
The visitors compounded a terrible first-half for the Harriers when Bridges stole a yard from a corner to head his second, and Stevenage’s third, two minutes before the break.
Both sides enjoyed spells of pressure after the restart but, inevitably, it was Stevenage who found the back of the net again. Beardsley reacted quickest to a rebound off the crossbar, making the score 4-1 in the 70th minute, and the former Kidderminster player added his side’s fifth with seven minutes left to play.
The forward cut in from the left before sliding beyond Atkins to ensure a party atmosphere at next Saturday’s Second Leg at Broadhall Way.
