A crop accessory apparatus comprises a header latch member adapted for attachment to a guard bolt on a cutting header such that a rear wall of the header latch member slopes rearward from a distal end thereof and toward the header. A crop accessory has an accessory latch member at a rear end thereof comprising a spring element defining an aperture and biased toward the header, wherein during engagement the distal end of the header latch member moves into the aperture and a rear edge of the aperture is urged down the sloping rear wall and rearward, urging the accessory rearward into closer engagement with the header. A lateral retention groove in the sloping rear wall is operative to prevent the rear edge of the aperture in the spring element from sliding up and off the header latch member.