WREXHAM ended Kidderminster‘s ten-game unbeaten run to take advantage in the Blue Square Bet Premier semi-final at the Racecourse.
Neil Ashton’s late penalty, after a Michael Gash spot-kick had cancelled out David Artell’s opener for the Welsh club, ensured the Dragons finished the first leg with their noses in front.
Wrexham, playing in the play-offs for the third year in a row, made much the brighter start in front of 6,315 in north Wales.
Brett Ormerod twice forced Harriers keeper Danny Lewis into action, while the Welsh club had a huge penalty appeal for handball against left-back Mickey Demetriou turned down.
Captain Dean Keates fired over from the edge of the box as Kiddy struggled to clear their lines, nerves perhaps playing a part in their debut in the end-of-season shoot-out, with sixth-placed finishes meaning they’d narrowly missed out in the previous two campaigns under Steve Burr.
And they deservedly had the lead on the stroke of half-time when Ormerod crossed from the right byline for David Artell – whose red card from the final day of the season was rescinded this afternoon, allowing him to play – to head in his first Wrexham goal.
The former Morecambe defender was booked for snapping the corner flag in his celebrations – and Harriers soon snapped out of their malaise by drawing level soon into the second half.
Wrexham had just seen another chance go begging when Keates failed to connect with a low 20-yard shot from midfield partner Jay Harris, when referee Charles Breakspear ruled that Martin Riley’s tackle on Anthony Malbon in the area was illegal.
Gash stepped up to smash in his 22nd goal of the season – and seventh since joining Kiddy from Cambridge in March – from 12 yards.
Morrell headed over for the hosts, but Kiddy showed why they have become Europe’s most in-form team over the second half of the season by having the better of the second period as Kyle Storer fired wide and Danny Jackman saw a shot comfortably saved by Chris Maxwell.
But Wrexham grabbed the all-important advantage to take into Sunday’s second leg when Josh Gowling was adjudged to have fouled Ormerod and Ashton converted from the penalty spot with just five minutes left.
