KIDDERMINSTER Harriers manager Steve Burr questioned the state of the St George’s Lane pitch following his side’s FA Trophy 1-0 victory over Worcester City.

Skipper Chris McPhee’s second-half goal was enough to set-up a quarter-final meeting at Blue Square Premier high-fliers Oxford United on Saturday, February 20, with a dress rehersal taking place this Saturday at the Kassam Stadium.

But Burr, who remains unbeaten since being appointed as Mark Yates’ successor last month, was critical of the surface as players struggled to keep their footing.

The pitch, deemed unfit on Saturday by referee Mark Heywood, was passed fit just hours before Monday night’s kick-off but areas were still frozen in front of the main stand and it was revealed afterwards the match came close to being abandoned in the second-half.

Burr said: “It looks like a bowling green but the main stand side was very treacherous and I’m not so sure how much better it was than on Saturday so fair play to the lads for getting through the tie.

“The referee made the decision but I just thought there were a few times, especially in the first-half, where people just couldn’t stand up. As the game went on it probably softened up a little bit but it seemed to be quite dangerous on the one side.”

Burr, though, was delighted with the attitude shown by his team as they kept up their march to reach the final of a competition in which they were runners-up in 2007.

He said: “It was important for both sides to get a win and I’m just glad we got through.

“It was a great ball in from John Finnigan for the goal and then I felt just after that we should have wrapped up the tie, we had some really good chances and that would have given us a cushion.

“They threw men forward towards the end of the game but didn’t really cause us too many problems.

“It was just a matter of getting through, it was a difficult game.

“I was really pleased with the attitude of the players because that had to be spot on before the game.”