STUART Watkiss will urge his beleaguered Kidderminster Harriers players to get out of their latest bad habit -- throwing away leads.

Harriers can ill afford many more slip-ups in their Coca-Cola League Two relegation fight, especially if Rushden and Diamonds and Cambridge United continue to pick up results.

The men from Aggborough travel to Rochdale tomorrow with the huge task of effectively making up a three-win gap on former Conference title rivals Rushden.

But their efforts to grab a victory against Shrewsbury and Bristol Rovers in the last two games have turned sour, despite Harriers taking the lead on both occasions.

Shrewsbury recovered from a two-goal deficit to win 4-2, while Watkiss' side edged in front on Tuesday against Rovers only to concede an equaliser in a poor second-half show.

The latest result did, however, put an end to a three-match losing run which was threatening to sink Harriers without trace and now Watkiss wants his players to stay positive at all costs.

He admitted: "When you've had some bad results and you're 1-0 up, then you drop a little bit deeper and play safer.

"That is probably the time when instead you need to be brave and carry on doing what has served you so well.

"In the first-half against Bristol Rovers, we did the really basic lower league football very well. It's not necessarily great to watch but very effective.

"We've got to make better decisions in different circumstances. It's no coincidence that all our shaky stuff is when we're not positive and when we're hesitant.

"I've said to the players that if they're positive but make the wrong decision, I'll actually accept that -- just as long as they have the courage to do it.

"In a game, the opposition are always going to have a period of sustained pressure and you have to be big enough and organised enough to deal with it. That's the part of the game we're struggling with and have to work on."

Spotland has been a happy hunting ground for Harriers in recent seasons as they triumphed 1-0 there on their last two visits.

But Steve Parkin's mid-table side, fired by 21-goal Grant Holt, have not flirted with relegation this time around and are unbeaten in nine games at home.

They did lose 2-1 at Aggborough on December 11 though with an Ian Foster penalty securing the first win of Watkiss' reign.

Harriers have an injury doubt tomorrow over right-back Johnny Mullins, who suffered a hamstring strain in mid-week, so Lee Jenkins stands by to take his place.

Striker Mark Rawle will be vying for a Harriers debut after completing his move from Oxford United until the end of the season.

But Blair Sturrock, who has scored in each of the last two games, and the hard-running Chris Beardsley will take some shifting from the attack.

And Watkiss has encouraged fans to remain behind Harriers, despite recent frustrations.

He added: "I honestly still believe that we can do it (beat the drop) and I know that there is the commitment and desire in the dressing room to stay up."