HARRIERS 2, NORTHAMPTON 1

A MUCH more wily-looking Kidderminster Harriers side leapt a morale-boosting four places in the Division Three table on Tuesday night.

Their 2-1 victory dented the prospects of another play-off chaser in form team Northampton following an Aggborough beating of fellow top 10 side Swansea the previous week.

Director of football Jan Molby was delighted with his players' response from Friday's thrashing at leaders Doncaster with an honest clear-the-air meeting after that match clearly doing them the world of good.

Returning midfielder Mark Yates marked his second home debut with a terrific performance, especially in the first half, and the added experience running through the side helped them fend off a potential fightback from the visitors.

Harriers are still in need of more tap-ins though to up their goal tally as the strikes that put them two goals ahead were both of the spectacular variety.

Left-footed Dean Keates and right-footed Dean Bennett crashed home tremendous finishes with their weaker foots to delight a home support which only just beat the 2,000-mark.

Northampton's 691-strong away following were lifted by Chris Hargreaves' header on 55 minutes but Harriers comfortably avoided the threat of an equaliser to secure their first double of the season, having won 1-0 at Sixfields in Molby's first game back in charge.

Centre-half Wayne Hatswell put in a stunning defensive display, considering he had been a serious doubt through concussion the day before, and loan signing Adrian Viveash was unruffled in his first game.

Harriers were lacking the vital touch in front of goal in the early stages when they restricted Northampton to just an ambitious looping 20-yarder from former Sunderland man Martin Smith on 19 minutes.

Adam Murray, Yates and Keates all missed with hopeful efforts, while an excellent Yates centre failed to get the required treatment from an eager forward.

But the curse of the Nationwide Manager of the Month award, claimed by Northampton's Colin Calderwood this week, looked set to continue when Keates broke the deadlock on 29 minutes.

The visitors failed to clear Scott Stamps' throw-in and Keates rifled home a sweet 20-yard right-footed drive past a diving Lee Harper.

Bennett skewed a first-time shot wide and then the outstanding Yates provided John Williams with a chance to charge clear in injury-time.

The four-goal forward pushed the ball past the on-rushing Harper but Ian Sampson, the elder of three centre-halves, did well to win the sprint and put his foot in before Williams could apply a simple finish.

In the second half, the energy of Harriers' front-three Bennett, Ian Foster and Williams along with midfielders Murray and Keates ensured Northampton could never settle.

Bennett claimed a crucial second goal and his first of the year just two minutes after the interval with a twisting 16-yard left-foot volley from Foster's cross.

Keeper Harper could only help the ball into the net as top scorer Bennett notched a sixth goal of the season and only his second in the league.

Though Hargreaves' free eight-yard header from Smith's corner crept over the line on 55 minutes, Harriers did not lose their focus which bodes well for another vital game on Saturday at home to York.

They quickly set about attacking their opponents again and Viveash nearly pounced with a debut goal only for Harper to safely hold the former Walsall man's header.

Hatswell then met Murray's right-wing corner with a glancing header which drifted away from Harper's far post on 64 minutes.

But Bennett was closer five minutes later when the rampaging wide man seized onto a long clearance and lobbed the advancing keeper only for the crossbar to intervene as the ball bounced up.

Paul Reid's pass-back put Northampton in more trouble soon after but Harper raced out to block from Williams and then gratefully claimed Murray's low 35-yard follow-up.

All Northampton could offer was a Marc Richards header into the side netting 10 minutes from time, again from a Smith set-piece, with Harriers keeping their nerve.

They ran down the clock professionally with some possession football near the corner flags and thoroughly deserved a second win of 2004 to significantly raise hopes of beating the on-going relegation fight.

HARRIERS: Brock 6; Hinton 7, Hatswell 8, Viveash 7, Stamps 7; YATES 9, Keates 7; Murray 7; Bennett 8, Williams 7, Foster 7 (Parrish 89). Subs not used: Sall, Christiansen, Danby, Ward.

NORTHAMPTON: Harper; Lyttle, Reid, Sampson (Asamoah 64), Wilmott, Ullathorne; Low, Trollope (Youngs 77), Hargreaves, Smith; Richards (Viera 81). Subs not used: Thompson, Chambers.

ATTENDANCE: 2,699.

SHOTS ON: Harriers 6, Northampton 1.

SHOTS OFF: Harriers 10, Northampton 4.

CORNERS: Harriers 13, Northampton 4.

GOALS: Keates 29, Bennett 47, Hargreaves 55.

YELLOW CARDS: Harriers 2 (Stamps, Hinton), Northampton 2 (Richards, Low).

SHUTTLE STAR MAN: Mark Yates. A superb first-half showing where the midfielder, playing his first home game since his return, was at the forefront of every Harriers move. Quieter second period but provided the back four with a solid guard.