A late strike from Will Davies was enough to secure Sutton United’s passage into the Isuzu FA Trophy Quarter-Final, sealing a narrow victory over National League North side Kidderminster Harriers.
A competitive affair saw the hosts enjoy the majority of the chances in the first half, with a handful of opportunities for Ashley Hemmings and Amari Morgan-Smith going amiss to send the two sides into the break goalless.
Sutton grew into the game though with the introduction of Dillon De Silva at half time injecting some much-needed energy in the final third, with the Sri Lanka international playing a crucial role in what would prove to be the winner when he broke away from the halfway line and spread the ball out to Lewis Simper, who picked out the in-form Davies who managed to poke home under pressure from the Harriers’ backline to send Sutton into Round Six.
Victory at Aggborough means the U’s extend their unbeaten start to 2025 to seven games, and will be looking to make it eight with the visit of Nottingham Forest in the National League Cup on Tuesday night.
Two changes to the starting XI saw Alex Kirk replace Jack Taylor who was cup-tied, along with Jack Wadham entering the team in place of De Silva.
Kidderminster would have the first sight of goal as Reynolds drove into the box before playing the ball across to captain Morgan-Smith who blasted over Sims in the Sutton net. Kam Kandola then used his body to barge Davies to the floor to deny an opening chance for Sutton. Eduino Vaz’s delivery ends up over the Sutton players waiting around the six yard box
Kidderminster then went direct as keeper Christian Dibble played a long ball to Hemmings who found himself one on one with Sims. Hemmings was unable to gather a connection with the ball strong enough to test the advancing Sims.
Woodyard would end up with the games first yellow card. After losing the ball in midfield, Woodyard tried to win it back but mistimed his challenge. From the free kick, Kidderminster would try a quick free kick to Thompson. Vaz stood firm to deny Thompson a cross into the box, before driving with the ball up the pitch. Vaz’s cross is cleared by Kidderminster far and away from danger.
It was the turn of Davies to have a shot on goal. The forward took the ball on the turn and his shot ended up just over the bar. Up the other end, the ball ended up to the feet of Morgan-Smith who hit well over the bar once again.
Although the best chance of the first half would fall to Kidderminster. The midfielder found himself in space and had the time to curl an effort at Sims. Sims did brilliantly to get down low and palm the ball out for a corner. The corner would meet the head of McNally whose headed effort would eventually end up in the grasp of Sims.
The second half started with more yellow cards. Morgan-Smith dragged down French with the ball well out of the play. Vaz soon followed for a late challenge on Hemmings. The free kick fell to the feet of Kandola who blasted over. That would not be the end of the cautions, with the next going the way of Tyler French who dragged down the Kidderminster winger who was through down the left flank. Morgan-Smith headed his effort at goal only to be denied by Alex Kirk off the line.
The first Sutton chance of the second fell to Davies who controlled a long Sims goal kick and fired a powerful effort at goal to be denied by the palms of Dibble.
There was a break in play for Coley to receive treatment who eventually had to be taken off with Ryan Jackson being his replacement down the right flank. Kidderminster looked to counter but the referee deemed the Harriers attacker had won the ball back with his hands.
Sutton would take the lead on the eightieth minute. A Simper cross troubled Dibble in the Kidderminster net. The latter would spill the ball to the path of Davies who was not going to miss from that distance and gave Sutton the lead ten minutes from full time
Davies looked to drive with the ball as Kellerman hacked him down as he looked to create the next Sutton chance. Unsuprisingly, Kellermann ended up in the book alongside Siju Odelusi.
To reassure Sutton’s one goal advantage, Steve Morison opted to bring on defender Hayden Muller in place of wingback Vaz. Simper lofted the ball through to De Silva who smashed his effort down the throat of Dibble who can only parry out for a corner. Barbrook would win his header from the corner forcing Dibble to make another save. The corner would fall to the feet of De Silva who hit over.
The next chance also fell to De Silva after some trickery in the box saw the space in front of him open up but is unlucky to hit the near post. Sutton eventually saw out the win and progressed to the quarter finals of the FA Trophy for the first time since 2000.
Kidderminster Harriers: C Dibble, C Richards, R Devine, R McNally, A Morgan-Smith ©, A Hemmings, Z Brown, S Thompson (C Lutz 85’), M Kouhyar, K Kandola, R Reynolds (J Kellermann 78’)
Sutton United: J Sims, T French ©, J Coley (Jackson R 78’) , L Simper, W Davies, E Vaz (H Muller 84’), F Barbrook, J Wadham ( D De Silva 35’) , A Woodyard (S Odelusi 45’) , B Toppalaj, A Kirk.
