Kidderminster Harriers 1-2 Fleetwood Town: Cod Army fight back from a goal down to avoid FA Cup upset against Harriers

  • Published
Media caption,

FA Cup highlights: Kidderminster 1-2 Fleetwood

Defenders Josh Earl and Shaun Rooney both scored as League One Fleetwood came from behind to prevent an upset against National League side Kidderminster.

On-loan Bailey Hobson gave Harriers the lead against the run of play shortly before half-time at Aggborough.

But Earl immediately levelled for the Cod Army and then supplied the cross for full-back Rooney to head the winner just after the restart.

Fleetwood, who reached the last 16 last season, will travel to League One rivals Cambridge in the second round.

Lee Johnson's side made most of the early running, with Promise Omochere impressing on the right-hand side and captain Josh Vela should have opened the scoring midway through the first half, heading Phoenix Patterson's cross wide.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Fleetwood's Bosun Lawal (right) battles with Amari Morgan-Smith of Kidderminster

Earl also directed a header off target, but it was Kidderminster who went ahead with their first genuine attack as Ryan McLean teed up Hobson, on loan from Chesterfield, to tuck a shot into the bottom corner.

Yet the home side's advantage lasted less than a minute as Fleetwood won a corner and Patterson delivered it to the near post for Earl to glance home.

The visitors' momentum carried on into the second half and they turned the tie on its head immediately when Patterson worked his way into space and released Earl, who clipped over a cross that Rooney gobbled up.

Fleetwood might have wrapped up the tie in the aftermath of that second goal, with Jack Marriott steering a shot wide before Harriers goalkeeper Christian Dibble produced a superb fingertip save to foil Ben Heneghan.

Dibble also denied Town a third goal late on, pushing away Marriott's swerving drive, but they held on to book their place in the next round.

Sorry, we can't display this part of the article any more.

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.