Harriers 2 Lincoln 1

STUART Watkiss can be excused for not attending the post match press huddle - he was probably still trying to wipe the smile from his face.

For, as assistant boss Gary Barnett pointed out to the waiting media, afternoons like Saturday have been few and far between for Harriers this season.

Not only did Kidderminster secure a priceless three points against a strong Lincoln side, but their three main relegation rivals all dropped points.

Draws for Cambridge, Rushden and Shrewsbury put Harriers back within touching distance of the survival cut off line. And the challenge now is to sustain it, because the Aggborough men need at least nine or 10 more wins to ensure a grin remains fixed to the manager's face.

Watkiss's expression was altogether different at 3.10pm on Saturday as Harriers threatened to undo another week of hard work on the training ground.

New signing Billy Jones was the main culprit with his sustained absence from first team football resulting in a less than auspicious start to his Harriers career.

After getting away with poor positioning when Gary Taylor-Fletcher broke down the right and Gary Westcarr struck the bar on four minutes, the former Leyton Orient left back was not so fortunate two minutes later. Jones seemed to have all the time in the world to deal with Matt Bloomer's ball into the box, but rather than cle-aring his lines he allowed We-stcarr to steal possession.

The Lincoln striker rolled the ball across the goal face where Francis Green beat Jonny Mullins for a simple tap-in at the back stick.

Following the early concessions in the home humiliations against Swansea and Southend, Harriers fans could have been forgiven for thinking "Here we go again." But full credit to Jones and Co, they managed to drag themselves off the floor to produce one of their most complete performances of the season.

It was the newcomer himself who made up for his early slip by providing the ammunition for the equaliser on 16 minutes.

Jones lived up to his reputation as something of a set-piece specialist with a sublime inswinging corner which left Blair Sturrock the simple task of volleying Harriers level from close range.

After that Kidderminster dominated proceedings. Not many League Two teams can live with the physical power of Keith Alexander's men, but Harriers not only out-thought, but also out-fought the Red Imps.

And the lesson they seem to be learning more than any other under Watkiss is that you have to earn the right to play at this level.

Before you can start putting passes together, you need to be able to put your foot or head in where it hurts.

There were heroes throughout the Harriers team, and few more so than returning skipper Wayne Hatswell and former Lincoln defender Simon Weaver who threw themselves in the way of everything.

The star of the show, however was a modest young man by the name of Simon Russell, who is growing in stature, maturity and notoriety by the week. After terrorising Lincoln for most of the match he got his just desserts on 52 minutes with a goal worthy of winning any game.

Receiving the ball from Jones on the left, Russell jinked one way and the other before lifting the ball over his marker, playing a neat one-two with Dean Keates and sweeping a clinical finish past Alan Marriott.

Harriers had chances to kill off the game with Jones volleying just wide with his weaker right foot and substitute Chris Beardsley forcing a smart tip over from the Lincoln keeper.

But it wouldn't be Harriers without a late scare and with John Danby showing a rare reluctance to venture off his line and command his box, Lincoln laid siege to the Harriers goal.

Danby, who at the start of the second half produced a brilliant diving save to keep out an effort from Jamie McCombe, denied the lanky Lincoln man again with a fine reflex save in the dying moments and was relieved to see Taylor-Fletcher's floated cross-shot bounce to safety off the bar shortly afterwards.

HARRIERS: Danby 6, Mullins 7, Jones 6, Hatswell 8, RUSSELL 9, Keates 8, Bennett 8, Jenkins 7, Birch 7, Sturrock 8 (Beardsley 81, 7). Subs not used: Lewis, Sall, Foster, Gleeson.

LINCOLN: Marriott, Bloomer, Sandwith (Yeo 64 (Blackwood 80), McCombe, Morgan, Futcher, Butcher, Green, Toner, Westcarr (Richardson 69), Taylor-Fletcher. Subs not used: Hobbs, Hanlon.

REFEREE: Eddie Evans (Lancashire)

ATTENDANCE: 2,283 (away 308).