Harriers 2, Chester 0

KIDDERMINSTER progressed to the first round of the FA Cup with an accomplished display against Vanarama National League side Chester.

The largest crowd of the season at Aggborough watched on as goals in each half from Mani Sonupe and Joe Ironside booked Harriers' place in the next round.

The home side were the quicker out of the blocks than their higher-ranked opponents and mustered the first effort of the game when Ryan Croasdale placed a effort just wide in the opening minute.

The Reds kept the pressure on as the quickly began to dominate the early possession.

Elton Ngwatala saw a lot of the ball in the opening exchanges and fired at keeper Alex Lynch from outside the area on 10 minutes.

The Chester stopper gathered the effort with ease but the way the French attacker found the space should have had alarm bells ringing.

Ngwatala again found the space in a central position on 19 minutes to drill a low effort from 25 yards.

He rattled the base of the post but Sonupe reacted quickly to follow up and hand his side a deserved lead and bag his ninth of the campaign.

Chester's first clear cut chance was passed up by John McCombe when the visiting skipper headed Andy Hall's cross over the bar from the edge of the six yard box as the clash reached the half hour mark.

Harry White then drilled over from the angle of the area seven minutes later as the away side looked for a leveller.

Harriers were still working the ball across the field and finding space in the wide areas with Sonupe and Andre Brown.

They couldn't add to their tally before the break but continued to control matters and cause Chester problems with a high energy press.

The second half start much flatter than the first but still Ngwatala remained the key tormentor.

He fired over on 50 minutes and again four minutes later after another winding run at the Chester back line.

However, much like the first half, Chester's best early opening again fell to an unmarked head on the edge of the six yard box.

This time substitute Jordan Chappell could only glance wide when unmarked on 55 minutes.

Harriers, meanwhile, were quick to get their passing game going once more despite not enjoying the same fluency as in the first half.

Chester had more joy as the game became a scrappy affair with both sides taking it in turns to lose possession too easily.

Harriers did work another opening with 15 minutes left on the clock when Ngwatala played James McQuilkin in down the right. His ball in was met by Ironside but the striker's deft flick was deflected over.

But he only had to wait 10 minutes to find he back of the net.

This time he met Sonupe's cross from the right with his head to sneak the ball in at the near post and bag a vital second.

The Reds fully deserved their fourth qualifying round success, winning £12,500 in the process, and can now look forward to Monday's draw.

Harriers: Hall, Pearson (Williams 46), Taylor, Croasdale (c), Horsfall, O'Connor, Sonupe (Austin 82), McQuilkin, Ironside, Ngwatala, Wright (Bradley 60).

Unused subs: Brown, Weeks, Digie, Howkins.

Chester: Lynch, Halls, Rowe-Turner, James, McCombe (c) (Bell 72), Astles, Turnbull, White (Zanzala 60), Dawson, Waters (Chappell 45), Akintunde.

Unused subs: Davies, Jones, Shaw, Crump.

Att: 1,896 (522).