Kidderminster Harriers overcame a scare from former boss Russ Penn to win from behind against Halesowen Town in the FA Trophy 2-1 on Saturday.

Penn had brought his Southern League Premier Central high flyers back to Aggborough for the Second Roud tie, the first occasion he’d managed back in Worcestershire since his Harriers exit early in 2024.

His Yeltz outfit were in front, too, thanks to a tenth minute goal that silenced three sides of the stadium, a major upset only avoided, in the end, thanks to a dramatic injury-time winner from teenage striker Kobe Hall, who’d been handed his first professional deal by Penn during his tenure.

In between, a full bloodied Trophy tie was played out in front of a near 4,000 crowd with all the ingredients of a local derby with the potential for a major upset.

Harriers boss Phil Brown had made one change to his starting line-up; with a suspension forthcoming, Zak Brown was rested to blood in new arrival Ryley Reynolds just hours after he’d signed on loan from League 2 outfit Notts County.

Halesowen struck first blood inside ten minutes. An uncharacteristically under-hit pack-pass from Joe Foulkes put Christian Dibble in danger, the custodian just about able to meet it, but the ball breaking to former Wrexham man Jordan Ponticelli who kept his cool before finding the net to the delight of over 1,4000 fans.

Harriers pulled themselves level two minutes after the half-hour. Caleb Richards’ cross into the area was met by Amari Morgan-Smith whose shot was smothered into the path of Reece Devine who steered it into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

It was a bittersweet time for the former Manchester United youngster. Two minutes later, he was through on goal again and chipped shot stopper Dan Platt, only to see the ball hit the side netting. In taking that effort the full-back appeared to injure himself, and was withdrawn with Seb Thompson taking his place.

Morgan-Smith and Tope Obadeyi had chances for Harriers before the break before Ponticelli struck the post at the other end, Thompson doing the same nine minutes after the restart with an 18-yard effort at Platt.

With 16 left to play and with tension setting it at the spectre of penalties, Ashley Hemmings was denied at close range by Platt who blocked his low shot, sub Hall then chesting down well and firing at goal to find Platt in good order once more.

The Aggborough Academy graduate had sampled a few sniffs in front of goal in his substitute stint and appeared to be having a luckless afternoon until the pivotal moment arrived – Thompson digging out a cross that he met with a superb, downward header that Platt blocked excellently. Hall showed tremendous reactions, though, and when the ball came back to him he immediately fired it into the corner of the net to finish at the second attempt.

It's now one defeat in 12 in all competitions for Brown’s men, including four successive victories, ahead of next weekend’s trip to Scarborough Athletic.