Saturday, January 8, 2005

STUART Watkiss has not surprisingly endured a turbulent start with results at Kidderminster Harriers but signs are emerging they are now better equipped to escape relegation.

Harriers' 2-1 win over promotion hopefuls Lincoln City, who broke into the play-off zone with a solid recent run of results, was achieved through tremendous commitment and no little good football.

When the players' desire has been criticised recently after home defeats to Swansea and Southend, Saturday's success showed maybe this team does have what it takes to stay in Coca-Cola League Two.

Goals from Blair Sturrock and Simon Russell were the first Lincoln had conceded in four games but more critically arrived after the visitors had taken the lead on just seven minutes.

Stuart Watkiss' vocal encouragement during the game meant his voice was in no fit state to cope with interviews after the game but his third win in eight games was richly deserved.

However, assistant Gary Barnett is adamant Harriers must now put an unbeaten run together to give them a great chance of making up the four-point gap separating them from Rushden and Diamonds.

Barnett said: "You need 11 players to trust each other and gel together. Hopefully, at this stage, we have got that and we need a run now.

"We had a whole team of winners. They've won individual battles which hasn't been going on at times in previous games. Now the confidence will hopefully come from there.

"When we did get the equaliser, you could see the players wanting the ball. They wanted to show what they could do on the ball and we caused them a lot of problems. That confidence can hopefully continue into the next match.

"The performance was full of commitment, plenty of hard work and desire. We started very poorly and Lincoln could have scored even before they got their first one.

"Our players slowly pulled themselves back into the game but after that there were some very good performances."

Indeed, there were mutterings of "Here we go again" as Harriers were so sluggish out of the blocks and they ignored the warning signs when Craig Westcarr hit the bar on four minutes.

Three minutes later, Westcarr caught out debutant Billy Jones down the right flank and centred for Francis Green, reacting quicker than Johnny Mullins, to tap home at the far post.

The 50th goal conceded by Harriers in League Two this season was quickly erased though when Blair Sturrock continued his good start at Kidderminster.

An unmarked Sturrock swept home his third goal in five games on 16 minutes after Jones' wicked right-wing corner zipped across the face of goal.

'Keeper Alan Marriott held well-struck shots from Sturrock and midfield anchorman Tom Bennett before the interval but Harriers again started the second-half in pedestrian fashion.

John Danby, otherwise given a tough afternoon by Lincoln's uncompromising direct approach, brilliantly turned away a shot from Jamie McCombe, one of Lincoln's defensive giants.

The young goalkeeper clutched hold of a Ciaron Toner drive as Harriers suddenly awoke to take the lead on 52 minutes through Simon Russell.

The promising midfielder can now boast a final product to his tireless efforts and his winner, sliding the ball home after a tremendous one-two with Dean Keates, displayed real class.

Sub Chris Beardsley forced Marriott to tip over eight minutes from time and Jones caused more problems with another fine corner.

But Harriers endured some incredibly nervy moments as Lincoln's long throws and set-pieces prompted a string of goalmouth scrambles which were repelled by their former player Simon Weaver and his team-mates.

They did breath a sigh of relief when Danby denied McCombe with his legs and then watched anxiously as Gary Taylor-Fletcher's cross-shot rebounded back off the bar on 86 minutes.

However, the vital three points were Harriers' and they now must ensure this is not another false dawn by impressing at Macclesfield on Saturday.

Harriers: Danby 7; Mullins 8, Weaver 8, Hatswell 7, Jones 7; Jenkins 7, Bennett 7, Keates 7; *Russell 9; Birch 7, Sturrock 7 (Beardsley 81). Subs not used: Lewis, Sall, Foster, Gleeson. Attendance: 2,283.