Tuesday, January 23, 2001

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers boss Jan Molby is warning his mid-table side to stay clear of the Division Three strugglers after last night's 2-1 defeat at Mansfield Town.

Molby saw his side throw away a 17th minute debut goal by striker Drewe Broughton in a game full of chances for both sides.

Harriers have not won since their first meeting with Mansfield on Boxing Day and Molby is urging his men to distance themselves from the other end of the table with victory at home to Hull on Saturday.

However, he admitted both Harriers and Mansfield deserved credit for an entertaining rearranged game on a Field Mill pitch that was hit by torrential rain yesterday.

Frost had prevented the original weekend fixture but it was the home side's defence that froze when Broughton laid the foundations for a dream debut, heading home Daire Doyle's cross.

But it was not to be after a header from Chris Greenacre, his 15th goal of the season, before half-time and a 69th minute strike from substitute Mick Boulding gave Mansfield the points.

Molby admitted: "Mansfield are level with us on points. The play-offs are a long-shot now and the relegation basement is not far off.

"If you were a neutral, you'd have enjoyed the game. There was plenty of end-to-end stuff, but where it matters in the two penalty boxes, we made the wrong decisions.

"One of their strikers was allowed a free header and in the second-half we lost the midfield. They upped the tempo and over-ran us.

"We could have had a few more late on but so could they. It could easily have been 4-4 or 5-5. The players have got to hit the target and at least make sure the keeper makes a good save."

Especially frustrating for Molby were the glaring misses, notably John Durnin's poor finish over the bar on eight minutes and a couple of wasted efforts by midfielder Neil Mackenzie in the second-half.

But veteran keeper Bobby Mimms was also in good form, handling the menacing Mackenzie's 20-yard drive well on 45 minutes and saving again from the midfield man seven minutes from time.

Harriers: Brock 7; Clarkson 6, Shail 6, Hinton 7, Medou-Otye 7 (Horne 64, 6); Doyle 7, Smith 6, Mackenzie 8, Ducros 6; Broughton 7, Durnin 6. Subs (not used): Clarke, Webb, Bird, Corbett. H Star man: Neil Mackenzie. Attendance: 1,712.