Kiddy Through In Cup Thriller

JOE LOLLEY left Kidderminster fans with a magical memory of his brief, yet brilliant Aggborough career by firing a stunning winner to see Harriers through to the fourth round.

The Worcestershire side are 's last men standing in the competition after fighting back from a goal down at half-time to see off Darren Ferguson's League One Peterborough.

Macclesfield went down 4-1 at Wednesday in the other third round replay involving a Skrill Premier club.

Michael Gash, Jack Byrne and Lolley – off to Championship club Huddersfield tomorrow in a deal worth at least £250,000 – scored the goals that gave Harriers a famous 3-2 victory at London Road.

As you'd expect of a League One side hosting Non-League opposition, Posh enjoyed the majority of the first-half possession, but Kiddy had the first two clear sights of goal.

Lee Fowler fired wide on 17 minutes when he broke into the area, then Lolley aimed a tame shot straight at Bobby Olejnik after good work down the right by Gash.

Posh took the lead in the 24th minute when Harriers keeper Danny Lewis misjudged Danny Kearns' deep cross from the right wing and captain Tommy Rowe headed in off a post.

Harriers were happy to contain the hosts and not fall further behind, but showed enough on the break to suggest they were still in the game.

Amari Morgan-Smith's 35th-minute shot was too close to Olejnik after more good work from Gash, then Lolley's attempted curler was always rising high above its intended top corner target.

Peterborough always looked in control, however, and Shaun Jeffers twice went close before half-time – but after the break it was a different story.

New boss Andy Thorn salutes the Kiddy fans
New boss Andy Thorn salutes the Kiddy fans

Harriers came out of their shell and were level within three minutes when Gash rounded off a flowing move by heading Danny Jackman's delicious left-wing cross past Olejnik.

Posh went up the other end and struck the woodwork with Mark Little's shot, but that man Lolley was soon carrying the ball back to the other end.

The 21-year-old left Nathaniel Knight-Percival for dead just inside Peterborough's half, then he cut inside and rolled a ball along the edge of the penalty area for Byrne to bend into the bottom corner, despite Olejnik getting a hand to it.

Peterborough drew level from the spot – it looked like the only way they would – when Lee Vaughan was penalised for a foul on Britt Assombalonga with little over a quarter-of-an-hour to go. The ex- and Braintree loanee picked himself up to stroke the spot-kick past Lewis.

But this night was about Lolley. Playing at level ten of English for last season, he showed exactly why he is heading to the second tier by cutting in from the right, as is his trademark, and unleashing an unstoppable left-foot drive that beat Olejnik inside his near post from 20 yards.

It was the 11th goal of his six-month Kiddy career – and what a fitting way to bring the curtain down!

Kiddy players celebrate following the final whistle
Kiddy players celebrate following the final whistle

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