Harriers 2 Scarborough 1

MARK Yates maintained his 100 per cent league record, as an impressive Harriers performance was too much for fellow Nationwide Conference strugglers Scarborough.

Kidderminster ran out 2-1 winners with new signing Jonny Harkness making a scintillating debut at left-back, setting up both goals.

The former Walsall defender replaced Wayne Hatswell, who joined Rushden and Diamonds last week, in the side and slotted in seamlessly. It was such a good debut that Yates picked him out as his man-of-the-match.

He said: "I thought Jonny was excellent. I know Simon Russell was named man-of-the-match and he played really well too, but, for me, Jonny just edged it.

"John Danby hardly had a save to make and our defenders were on top form. The lads worked hard for the result and got what they deserved."

Harriers have struggled for goals this season and when people look back on this game and see it was defenders Mark Jackson and Johnny Mullins who bagged the vital goals, they may criticise the strikers.

However, this judgement would be wide of the mark as both Iyseden Christie and Gareth Sheldon worked tirelessly for the team.

Yates added: "Iyseden and Gareth have been my regular starting strikers and I have brought Francino Francis in to put some pressure on them.

"Iyseden was immense (against Scarborough). I lost count of how many headers he won -- both in their box and helping the defence out in ours."

Russell and Sheldon also worked well in tandem on the right flank and gave the visiting defenders a torrid time. As early as the 15th minute the duo forged an opening for Christie, who shot narrowly wide of the left upright.

Then, on 28 minutes, Sheldon was in the action again when his left-foot drive from outside the area brought a good save out of Scarborough 'keeper Leigh Walker.

By now Harriers were on top and it looked as though their dominance was going to go unrewarded as half-time approached.

But, in stoppage time, the hosts won a free kick, which Harkness whipped into the box. Walker spilled it and Jackson was first to react, toe-poking the ball over the line to open the scoring.

Dead ball specialist Harkness was in the thick of things again five minutes into the second-half.

His pin-point free kick created a shooting chance for Christie, whose effort was blocked, only for the ball to fall to Mullins who made no mistake in tucking it away.

The only downside of the performance was in central midfield where Russ Penn and Terry Fleming gave the ball away far too frequently.

One glaring error from Fleming in the 71st minute saw him pass the ball straight to Scarborough's Lee Fowler who struck a good shot on goal from around 22 yards out.

Danby could only parry it and the alert David McNiven was on hand to convert the chance to make it 2-1.

This sloppy period of play could have proved more costly for Harriers as the goal invigorated the visitors and they became the dominant side. The hosts just managed to hold on and see out a nervy final 20 minutes.

If, as Yates says, new arrivals are imminent, then surely a cultured central midfielder will be high on his shopping list.

He added: "We started the game sluggishly, but I thought we played some great stuff in the first 25 to 30 minutes of the second-half.

"The three points we picked up are obviously very welcome. We set out to win the game and, apart from putting ourselves under pressure for the last 15 or 20 minutes, we ran out as comfortable winners.

"It's going to take time for the lads to implement the ideas I want them to express on the pitch. They are picking things up quickly in training and we just need to work on showing that on the pitch in front of 1,700-odd people each week."

HARRIERS: Danby; Mullins, Jackson, Burgess, Harkness; Russell (Pugh 77), Fleming, Penn, Blackwood (Graves 90); Christie, Sheldon (Francis 84). Subs not used: Thompson, Lewis.

ATTENDANCE: 1,740.