Words Alex Birch | Pictures Jonathan Moore

ALTY suffered the agony of a penalty shootout defeat as this season's Isuzu FA Trophy campaign ended at Kidderminster Harriers.

The opening half an hour was notable only for three long range efforts, as the two teams tried to figure each other out.

Matty Kosylo, buzzing around in the number 10 role, tested Christian Dibble after Liam Brockbank and Alex Newby combined to free him 30 yards from goal.

The response from Harriers was two Ashley Hemmings strikes. The first was easy pickings for Ethan Ross; but the second saw the Alty stopper at full stretch to tip the bending shot away from danger.

That looked to be the closest either side would come in the first half. That was until Alex Newby smashed a ridiculous 30-yard free kick off the crossbar. 

Within a minute of the restart Kiddy created their best effort to that point. Jack Lambert's menacing free kick was nodded just wide by Harriers' skipper Shane Byrne.

A delightful passage of play at the opposite end finished in Dior Angus laying on the perfect backheel through ball for Newby, but the wideness of the forward's position meant his effort could only find the sidenetting.

Newby went closer 10 minutes later after a quick break involving sub Eddy Jones saw a hurried clearance land for the forward, but somehow his rocket of a shot was cleared off the line.

Next it was goalkeeper Dibble with the heroics for the home side, first denying Chris Conn-Clarke before miraculously clawing the ball away from Angus' rebound effort.

Then, in injury time, Justin Amalzuor was felled in the box giving Conn-Clarke the chance to give the visitors a late, late lead, only for Dibble to save the spot kick.

A penalty shootout followed moments later, and after Conn-Clarke and Banks saw their kicks saved, along with Gold Omotayo for Harriers, up stepped Jack Lambert to put the home side through to round five next month. 

Kidderminster Dibble; Penny, Richards, Hemmings (Morgan-Smith, 81'), Lambert, Preston, Lissimore (Hesketh, 60'), Robinson (McNally, 6'), Byrne (c), Hobson, Omotayo. Subs not used: Palmer, Pearce, Brown, Hall.

Altrincham Ross; Banks, Osborne (c), Kosylo (Conn-Clarke, 72'), Amaluzor, Brockbank (E.Jones, 65'), Angus (Linney, 79'), Cooper, Roscoe, Wilson, Newby. Subs not used: Baines, Marriott, Gould.

Goals None | None

Penalties Byrne (Scored), Morgan-Smith (Scored), Richards (Scored), Omotayo (Saved), Lambert (Scored) | Conn-Clarke (Saved), Newby (Scored), Osborne (Scored), Banks (Saved)

Yellows None | Amaluzor 83'

Reds None | None

Referee Farai Hallam

Assistants Jason Roberts & Harley McKittrick

Fourth official Minesh Gupta

Attendance 1,658 (250 away fans)

Next Up

A big Vanarama National League away game at league leaders Chesterfield on Tuesday evening.

The rearranged SMH Group Stadium fixture kicks off at 7:45pm - tickets are available from our hosts by clicking here and heading for the E1 block.

For official fan travel to the game click here.