IAN Clarkson hit the nail on the head when he admitted: "We're looking more solid this year but struggling to create as much."

Harriers have put together a tough and balanced midfield but it is yet to show its creative side.

A solo run and 25-yard drive from Clarkson, searching for only his fourth career goal, proved one of their best efforts at goal.

Proof indeed that Harriers, with four goals in their first five Division Three games, need to improve going forward.

However, impressive Clarkson was toasting a recall to the team, due to player unavailability, and a good performance to boot.

The 30-year-old former Birmingham, Stoke and Northampton right-back joked: "I'm just going to get hauled out for the big games! But it's nice to get a start.

"All you can do when you get the chance is try and do your best. If anyone says they enjoy playing reserve-team football then they're telling fibs.

"I have had to knuckle down and keep myself fit. I'm only 30 and feel I can play at this level quite comfortably for some years yet.

"But it's easy to come in for one game. It's more difficult to play 15 to 20 games and keep your level of consistency up."

Fans will have been encouraged to see Clarkson going forward when he got the opportunity.

And he added: "We have not played fantastically well all season and the manager has said we cannot keep getting away with it.

"We gifted Mansfield a goal and they were all over us in the first half. We were back into it more in the second but at home you would expect a bit more.

"We can play better but have still got seven points from five games. That's a positive.

"We're playing a more standard 4-4-2 and we're adapting to it at the moment. One or two lads look a bit tired - I'm not sure why.

"Rochdale looked a tidy outfit last season. We're getting all the difficult away games early on."