MAT Kendrick reports from Meadow Lane

Notts County 1 Harriers 3

IF Harriers do what they are threatening and end this season like they ended Saturday's match, then we're in for some party at Northampton on May 7.

After hinting in recent weeks that they have saved the best of their season until last, Stuart Watkiss's men did just that in a frantic finale at Meadow Lane.

As Harriers laid siege to the County goal and chance after chance went begging, it seemed as if they would rue their failure to finish.

But the clash exploded into life in the final quarter of an hour and Harriers are now promising to conclude their troubled 2005 in thrilling style.

Two converted penalties, two more goals from open play, a sending off, a couple of bookings and two 20-men brawls all in the space of 15 manic minutes - just another chapter in a strange old season for the Aggborough men.

Make no mistake, Stuart Watkiss's troops fully deserved the victory that extended their season's best unbeaten run to four games and secured their first back to back wins of the campaign.

The mediocre Magpies were hoping for a quiet afternoon in what for them at least was a meaningless match and they would easily have settled for a draw to continue to their own sequence of five games without loss.

But Harriers had other ideas and having finally developed a winning mentality, all of a sudden the seven-victory target Watkiss set his side does not appear quite so ridiculous with two down and five to go.

Dean Keates was the hero of the hour after keeping his cool to slot home the two penalties that put Kidderminster in control.

And for the second successive Saturday, Harriers had heroes all across the park with Chris Beardsley continuing his fine scoring run with the nerve-settling third goal. It would have been a travesty if Harriers had left Nottingham with anything less than three points because they dominated from start to finish.

Even before half-time they could and should have been five goals to the good with Tom Bennett laying several chances on a plate for his team-mates.

Wayne Hatswell failed to head the first of the veteran midfielder's precise free kicks on target, before the next saw County keeper keep out Chris Beardsley's header from point blank range with Mark Jackson firing the follow-up wide.

Blair Sturrock was the next culprit, firing a good chance into the side netting after losing his marker to latch onto a Bennett through ball.

In reponse, all the Magpies could muster was a solitary half chance which Glyn Hurst scuffed into the arms of John Danby from Mark Stallard's flick on.

It was a similar story in the second half with Harriers having all of the play as the unmarked Jackson nodded another decent opportunity wide and Beardsley headed an effort straight at the keeper.

And when the former Doncaster dangerman brilliantly tricked his way to the byline but chose to shoot against the outside of the post rather than picking out a better-placed colleague the travelling Harriers fans feared it was going to be another one of those days.

Their anxiety levels increased momentarily when Stallard dragged County's best chance wide, just after the hour mark.

But they needn't have worried because in Leicestershire referee Kevin Friend, Harriers had a friend indeed.

With Paul Bolland's dangeous lunge on Bertrand Cozic igniting the action and sparking the first fracas, the honours would surely go to the team that wanted it most, yet managed to keep their heads.

A needless foul on Keates by Kelvin Wilson and a wild kick by County keeper Saul Deeney on Johnny Mullins proved that the Magpies had well and truly lost it and Friend bravely pointed to the spot twice and gave the Notts No.1 his marching orders.

Keates pulled rank over newboy Mark Rawle to take the spot kicks and considering the high stakes, tucked both efforts away with maximum composure and minimum fuss.

There was still time for the hosts to scare Harriers when Stallard pulled a goal back after beating John Danby to a ball from Pipe on 88 minutes.

But Beardsley sent the Harriers fans home happy by latching onto a John McGrath header to force in the third and decisive goal.

Rushden's last minute winner against Northampton brought Kidderminster back down to earth with a bump, but if Watkiss's men continue to play like this there's no need to worry about results elsewhere.

NOTTS COUNTY: Deeney, Pipe, Oakes (Williams 74), Gill, Hurst (Harrad 79), Bolland, Ullathorne, Friars (Elliott 85), Wilson, McFaul, Stallard. Subs not used: Scully, Palmer.

HARRIERS: Danby 7, Weaver 7, Hatswell 7, Mullins 8, Jackson 7, Cozic 7, McGrath 8, KEATES 9, Bennett 8, Beardsley 8, Sturrock 7. Subs not used: Lewis, Hazell, Jones. Russell.

REFEREE: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

ATTENDANCE: 4,358.