Kidderminster Harriers 0(0) v (0)0 Cardiff City

A good all-round performance from Harriers almost saw them win a Football League Cup match for the first time.  After coming from behind to send the game into extra-time and twice being denied by the woodwork, they eventually bowed out 5-4 after a penalty shootout.

Harriers welcomed back Simon Brown to the line-up after his one-match ban but were without Adrian Viveash, Chris McHale stepped in to his place.  Despite rumours to the contrary the day before the game City fielded a strong team that included highly rated Welsh international striker Robert Earnshaw.

It was Earnshaw who almost gave Harriers the start thast they did not want in the very first minute; the ball was played through the Harriers defence for him to run on to but his good low shot was well saved by John Danby in the home goal.  City started the better of the two teams and Earnshaw had another good chacne with a volley on the turn that Danby did well to beat away at close range.  Cardiff didn't have it all their own way, Stuart Roberts and Brown were lively in attack and frequently switched wings to keep the visitors guessing; two Roberts crosses caused panic in the Cardiff defence, the first skimmed across the face of goal evading everybody, the second dropped invitingly for Brown but he blazed his shot over the bar.

Cardiff took the lead after 27 inutes, former Hereford United winger Paul Parry crossed from the left to Earnshaw who did exceptionally well to turn and create space for himself before rifling a shot past Danby.  Harriers' heads did not drop and they hit back within three minutes.  Harriers were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal in the inside left channel that Steve Burton floated in towards the unmarked Brown who guided a glancing header inside the far post.  Before the break Jesper Christiansen and Frédéric Advice-Desruisseaux combined to set up Brown again but he fired into the side netting while at the other end Rhys Weston got forward on the right and his cross picked out Lee Bullock at the far post but he headed wide.

After the interval Harriers stepped up their performance another notch; a Burton free kick on the right curled just past the post and Christiansen and Advice-Desruisseaux combined to set up Brown again but he shot over.  City's Andy Cambell saw a goalbound shot deflect off Wayne Hatswell for a corner as the cup-tie became more and more enthralling.

Harriers could have taken the midway through the half; a Lee Jenkins cross from the right was headed down at the far post by Brown to Hatswell who saw his volley crash against the post.  Moments later Harriers were awarded another free kick on the edge of the penalty area, Burton took it and curled it around the wall only for it to hit the other post and City could breathe again.  Harriers grew stronger as the game went on and City countered by throwing on their two most experienced subs.  Christiansen went agonisingly close to snatching the lead, Dean Keates set Brown away on the left, he beat two men and fired a low cross across the face of goal, the Dane was stretching to reach the ball at the far post and could only send it back acros the face with nobody close enought ot turn it in.  At the other end Cardiff sub Graham Kavanagh hit a blistering shot that looked a goal all the way until Danby intervened to push it away.

The game went into extra-time and Danby was soon called upon again saving from Campbell with his legs.  Harriers had yet another Burton free kick in a dangerous position but this one did not have enough power in it and Tony Warner was able to save.  Ian Foster could have won the game at the death, Keates' cross from the left found him unmarked on the edge of the penalty area but his shot was deflected into the grateful arms of Warner.

The game ended and went to a penalty shootout; Harriers went first and Foster opened the scoring, Kavanagh replied for City.  Steve Burton was unlucky to see his kick saved to hand the advantage to Cardiff, although Danby got a hand to Earnshaw's kick he couldn't keep it out.  After Appleby had scored for Harriers there was controversy when Danby saved Stuart Fleetwood's kick the referee ordered it to be retaken, ruling that Danby had moved too far off his line, and Fleetwood made no mistake the second time.  From then on all of the kicks were scored, handing the tie to Cardiff 5-4.