STUART Watkiss believes Kidderminster Harriers must copy several fellow strugglers in developing the ugly side of their game and improving a bizarre sequence.

Second-from-bottom Harriers have become embroiled in a run which sees them win one and then lose the next two Coca-Cola League Two games.

It started after manager Watkiss celebrated a first win in his second game in charge against Rochdale on December 11 and has covered three more victories and seven defeats since.

But if the pattern continues tomorrow at home to Chester City, Harriers would be dusting themselves down from another nail in the relegation coffin -- a vital home defeat to lowly opposition.

So Watkiss believes his players must take note of Bury and Shrewsbury, who he witnessed drawing 0-0 on Tuesday, and get tough in order to bounce back from the 2-1 defeat at Scunthorpe last weekend.

He said: "We have got to stop this sequence on Saturday. I do believe we have improved. We had 12 points after 19 games when I arrived and have since got 12 from 12.

"Everyone is still confident we can do this and I genuinely believe that we are now competitive. Teams know they have been in a game against us.

"Now we've got to be a little bit more professional at times and learn the art of seeing a game out to gain a draw or a win.

"I watched Bury and Shrewsbury on Tuesday and in football terms we are better than both of them. But they won their headers and boomed the ball.

"We don't do that at times but we need to, even if isn't very pretty. If we had those teams' toughness with our ability, it would be better for us. But we do have to take a little leaf out of their book at times and become more ugly, though it is less attractive to watch."

Tomorrow's opponents Chester ended an unwanted run of their own last Saturday by beating Rushden and Diamonds 3-1 for a first win in seven games.

Under Liverpool legend Ian Rush, they are 10 points above Harriers and beat them 3-0 at the Saunders Honda Stadium in October.

Former Harriers midfielder Ben Davies was on target on that evening and is likely to figure again tomorrow.

Watkiss expects to have more bodies available after a wafer-thin squad's sterling efforts at promotion chasers Scunthorpe.

Midfielders Lee Jenkins and Tom Bennett are both back from suspension but the latter has been struggling with a virus.

Johnny Mullins has shaken off the mumps, while Gary Birch (knee) and Dean Keates (shoulder) should be able to play on through their injuries.

Harriers also have a crucial visit to Shrewsbury in mind for the following weekend.

And Watkiss added: "We have got to try for a win and a draw from these next two games at least.

"Nothing will be resolved if we get beaten but everyone knows what a massive psychological boost the Cambridge win two weeks ago gave us."