A great second half performance from the Reds saw us progress to the 4th rd of the FA Cup and put paid to Lancasters valiant efforts. Two goals from Andre Brown in each half and the third from Tyrell Waite sealed the game for us after City had gone in with a half time lead.
There was one change to the starting lineup with Mani Dieseruvwe dropping to the bench in favour of Brown, probably due to him being continually caught offside without realising it in previous games. A six man bench was without the services of Liam Truslove through injury and surprisingly there was no Jared Hodgkiss either.
On a pitch that had obviously been grown long to favour the home side the Harriers struggled to get going at first but once used to the ball not moving far we began to find our feet more and a speculative shot from Elton N'Gwatala went over the bar. City were trying hard to find a way through but Keith Lowe was imperious in defence and little was getting past him.
Twenty minutes in and the Harriers drew first blood.
The ball was played in from the left by Zaine Francis-Angol and knocked on to N'Gwatala who shot but only for it to hit Brown on the way in and it was he that turned to claim the goal. Sadly the lead was to be short lived.
From the restart Lancaster broke for goal and caught Jordan Tunnicliffe in possession. Robbed of the ball he could only watch as a City man drew Sam Hornby from his line and then passed to Jordan Connerton who had the easy task of slotting the ball into the empty net.
We refused to allow our heads to drop and came back into the game as only we can. By attacking their goal. A chance fell for Waite but he hurried his shot and fired straight at the keeper but then came a chance that should have seen us take the lead once more.
Again the ball was played in from wide and this time James McQuilkin made some space to shoot. Avoiding the City defenders attention he snapped in a shot that hit Mike Hale in their goal but came back out for Macca to try again and again Hale was their hero as he dived at the foot of the post to turn the ball round for a corner.
Further chances came our way as we took hold of the game with Arthur Gnahoua firing straight at the keeper and then Waite heading over the bar. Suddenly, against the run of play, City took the lead just before the break with a wonder goal.
The hosts broke free again and had a shot on goal only to see it rebound out to the corner of the area for Billy Akrigg to volley the ball over Hornby and hit the far post and then into the other corner.