Kidderminster Harriers 1-2 West Ham Utd (AET)
- by Staff Writer
- Saturday, 5th February 2022
If West Ham are to win the FA Cup this season few will remember the near-disaster that preceded it on a mild February day in Worcestershire.
However it will forever remain the case that the Hammers were just seconds away from succumbing to what would've undeniably been THE greatest ever FA Cup upset - before skipper Declan Rice saved the day at Aggborough Stadium.Kidderminster Harriers, that plucky sixth tier side who'd already knocked out Grimsby and Reading led 1-0 right up until the match entered added-on time, with few believing West Ham could get out of jail following an insipid performance against a team five divisions below them in the football pyramid.
Yet somehow, dramatically, Rice forced extra time by firing home from inside the box to the delight of the travelling fans stationed behind the goal, just as the majority of the capacity crowd were ready to celebrate what would've been a quite remarkable victory.
And if that wasn't cruel enough on Russell Penn's National League North side they were to conceded a second injury time goal little more than 30 minutes later - as Jarrod Bowen sent West Ham through to the fifth round with virtually the last kick of extra time, as both managers were already planning who to pick for the deciding penalty shootout.
It was a dreadful display by the Premier League side who looked like a team of individuals rather than a cohesive unit. Few players in a blue and white shirt could leave the Stadium with their heads held high, while on the contrary every single Kidderminster player was magnificent.
There was little evidence of the five-division margin between the two sides and it was no surprise when the hosts went ahead through Luke Penny after 20 minutes when reserve 'keeper Alphonse Areola flapped at a set piece, spilling the ball for the Harriers to tuck in.
And it was no less than they deserved as they had taken the game to their more illustrious opponents from the start, backed by a passionate and partisan crowd packed inside this neat little stadium.
Indeed, Kidderminster could've stretched their lead further during the next 70 minutes before Rice struck to rescue West Ham's FA Cup campaign in the dying seconds - and Bowen ultimately won it with penalties beckoning.
After witnessing such a lucky escape, one wonders if the footballing Gods might just be favouring West Ham this season - for this, in the end, proved to be the luckiest of escapes. Hopefully David Moyes and his men haven't quite used up all their luck in one go...
West Ham Utd: Areola, Fredericks, Diop (Dawson 45), Zouma, Johnson (Cresswell 63), Kral (Rice 45), Noble (Soucek 63), Vlasic (Fornals 77), Benrahma, Yarmolenko, Bowen.
Subs not used: Randolph, Coufal, Alese, Fornals, Okoflex.
Goals: Rice (90+1), Bowen (120+1).
Kidderminster Harriers: Simpson, Penny, Richards, Cameron, Austin © (Redmond 78), Carrington (Montrose 61), Morgan-Smith (Martin 105), Hemmings (White 101), Sterling, Bajrami, Preston.
Subs not used: Emery, Lowe, Montrose, Foulkes, Lissimore, Bastable.
Goals: Penny (19)
Booked: Cameron
Referee: Jon Moss
Attendance: 5,327 (1,634 away fans)
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