National League North and South play-offs: Brackley v Kidderminster Harriers & Oxford City v St Albans in finals
- Published
Amari Morgan-Smith got the crucial second of the four Harriers goals at King‘s Lynn
Kidderminster Harriers produced the chief upset of the National League North and South play-off semi-finals as they won 4-1 at King's Lynn to book a final at Brackley next Sunday.
Harriers, who finished sixth, 24 points behind second-placed Lynn, will play a Brackley side who shocked Chester 1-0.
In National League South, the final will be between third-placed Oxford City and St Albans.
Oxford beat Worthing 2-0, while St Albans beat Dartford 5-3 on penalties.
That came following a 1-1 draw between second-placed Dartford and St Albans, who finished eight points behind them in sixth.
Harriers hit four at King's Lynn
It was a day when only one of the day's four semi-finals went according to the formbook - third-placed Oxford's home win over fourth-placed Worthing.
And, despite it being Coronation weekend, there was no joy for King's Lynn, where the day's biggest winners were former Football League side Kidderminster.
Harriers had to overcome an early missed Ashley Hemmings penalty.
Hemmings atoned when he put the visitors ahead on 23 minutes before Ben Stephens levelled with a close-range header just two minutes later. But Harriers then scored three times in 17 second-half minutes to kill the tie.
Amari Morgan-Smith got the second, set up by Hemmings, then Zak Brown crossed for Shane Byrne to glance home before netting himself from Hemmings' cross.
Harriers now have a chance to return to the fifth tier for the first time since 2016. But, having finished lower in the table, they must now go to Northamptonshire to face Brackley, who have never been in the National League before.
They will also be up against Brackley's former Harriers keeper Danny Lewis, who was part of their near fifth-tier promotion-winning team under Steve Burr in 2013.
Oxford will meet St Albans in the National League South promotion final.
Chester lose to late Carline strike
Brackley had only a 200 share of the near 4,500 Deva Stadium crowd
Chester were beaten by a late hit-and-hope low strike from experienced Brackley right-back George Carline.
Top scorer Kurt Willoughby powered a first-half header over, while Charlie Caton and Willoughby both had efforts turned wide.
But Chester's Harry Tyrer was the busier of the two keepers, saving from Theo Robinson and Cosmos Matwasa before he was finally beaten on 82 minutes when Carline took aim from 25 yards out, no challenge came in and his low right-foot daisy-cutter found the bottom left corner.
To add a final sour note for the hosts in front of a season's best, near capacity 4,479 crowd, a small section of home fans came on the pitch at the end and threw smoke canisters at the 200 visiting Brackley fans in the West Stand.
Next Sunday's fixtures
National League South play-off final:
Oxford City v St Albans City (12:30 BST)
National League North play-off final:
Brackley Town v Kidderminster Harriers (15:30 BST)