Port Vale 3(0) v (1)1 Kidderminster Harriers

Harriers' FA Cup dreams are over for another season after another second-half collapse saw them dumped out of the competition by League One side Port Vale at Vale Park despite taking a fourth minute lead through skipper Wayne Hatswell.

Caretaker-manager Shaun Cunnington handed debuts to goalkeeper Ryan clarke, on loan from Bristol Rovers, and midfielder Tom Bennett; there was also a recall for Steve Burton, albeit in midfield, while Lee Jenkins and Jesper Christiansen were relegated to the bench. The two new signings acquitted themselves in a first half that was as god as any that Harriers have produced away from home this season; Clarke was confident in his handling an sharp in his shot-stopping while Bennett showed some good distribution and strong tackling.

Harriers got off to a dream start when Dean Keates was upended on the edge of the penalty area by Michael Cummins; Hatswell took the free kick and drilled it through a gap in the wall created by Darryn Stamp and James Keene and into the corner of the net low to Jonny Brain's left.  Buoyed by the confidence brought by just the second away goal of the season Harriers looked a different team in the early stages and should have gone further ahead after quarter of an hour when Burton's cross from the left was weakly punched clear by Brain, the ball dropped to Stamp who volleyed acrobatically over the bar when he had time to control the ball and pick his spot.  For most of the first half Harriers held their hosts at bay and whenever they did threaten Clarke was there to keep them out, his best save a point blank stop from Nathan Lowndes.  Bennett was involved in Harriers' best two chances as the half drew to a close, first firing just wide from 20 yards after a Burton free kick wasn't cleared properly and then splitting the defence pen with a pass that left Stamp in space but his shot from a narrow angle hit the side netting.

Booed off the field by their own fans at half time Vale came out for the second period fired up and threw everything that they had at Harriers from the start.  Five minutes into the half Bennett brought down Levi Reid in the penalty area and referee Graham Salisbury had no hesitation in pointing at the spot.  Clarke dived to his left to keep out Billy Paynter's spot kick and when Lowndes' follow-up hit the post it seemed as though it was going to be Harriers' night.  Vale continued to attack and two minutes later they were level when Paynter forced the ball in from close range after Lowndes' effort had been blocked.

a 35-yard screamer into the top corner from Reid after 58 minutes put the home side ahead and left Harriers chasing the game.  A third, controversial, goal put the game almost completely out of reach after 64 minutes; Clarke was adjudged to have taken the ball out of the area in his hands, a decision that looked harsh as it appeared that he had stopped dead on the line, the free kick was taken quickly to Jeff Smith who crossed from the left to the far post where slack marking allowed Paynter to rise and head home from just a couple of yards out.

Harriers were stunned and their heads dropped.  They managed just a couple of half chances at the other end, Bennett firing high and wide from distance and Jesper Christiansen headed well wide from Ian Foster's cross.  The latter attempt was almost turned into a goal when the ball hit Ryan Brown and turned towards goal but Brain reacted quickly to grab it.  Harriers suffered more misfortune five minutes from time when Ian Foster was lost to injury just 12 minutes after coming on, he was carried off on a stretcher apparently in some considerable discomfort.