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2007 FA Trophy Final

2007 FA Trophy Final
Event 2006–07 FA Trophy
Date 12 May 2007
Venue Wembley Stadium, London
Referee Chris Foy
Attendance 53,262
2006
2008

The 2007 FA Trophy Final was the 38th final of The Football Association's cup competition for levels 5–8 of the English football league system. It was contested by Kidderminster Harriers and Stevenage Borough, both of the Conference National — the highest tier of the non-league football pyramid.

The game was the first competitive match, and final, to be played at the new Wembley Stadium. It was played in front of a record competition crowd of 53,262 on 12 May 2007. Stevenage won the match 3–2, despite having trailed by two goals at half-time. The victory meant it was the first time Stevenage had won the competition, as well as the club becoming the first team to win a competitive match at the new stadium. Stevenage captain Ronnie Henry subsequently became the first ever player to lift a competitive trophy at the new stadium as a result of the victory. It also meant Stevenage manager Mark Stimson had won the competition for three consecutive years, having won the FA Trophy with Grays Athletic in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

Kidderminster Harriers entered the 2006–07 FA Trophy at the First round stage, being drawn against Conference North side Vauxhall Motors. The game was played on 16 December 2006, finishing in a 4–4 draw at Aggborough. Kidderminster had raced into a three-goal lead, all three goals coming in the opening thirty minutes of the match, from James Constable, Alex Russell, and Iyseden Christie respectively. However, Vauxhall were level ten minutes into the second-half, scoring three quick-fire goals of their own. The home side then took the advantage once again through substitute Luke Reynolds. With Kidderminster defending their one-goal lead, Vauxhall's Lee Furlong scored an injury-time goal with a "thunderous drive" to ensure the game went to a replay. The replay, scheduled for the 19 December, was postponed due to a frozen pitch. It was eventually played on 6 January 2007, with Kidderminster winning the game 4–0, with James Constable getting a hat-trick in the game. A 1–0 victory away at fellow Conference National side Exeter City followed in the Second Round a week later, with a first-half Iyseden Christie strike settling the match. The win meant that Kidderminster faced a home tie against Conference South side Braintree Town in the Third Round, drawing the game 0–0. Kidderminster won the replay 3–1. Despite having trailed to a first-half strike from Russ Edwards, Kidderminster hit back with three goals in four minutes to win the tie and progress to the Fourth Round. They secured a place in the semi-finals thanks to a 3–1 victory over Halifax Town on 24 February. Similarly to the victory at Braintree, Kidderminster had trailed at half-time courtesy of a late first-half goal — this time Halifax's Neal Trotman heading past the outstretched Scott Bevan. Kidderminster bounced back immediately in the second-half, with James Constable scoring his sixth goal of the tournament when he tapped in from close range after Michael Blackwood's initial shot had been saved. Goals from Gavin Hurren, and an injury-time strike from Russell Penn ensured a two-goal victory.


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