HARRIERS boss Stuart Watkiss has warned his players to expect a Scarborough backlash when they travel to Yorkshire on Saturday.

Boro have endured a torrid start to the season with a 4-0 hammering at Hereford and a 1-0 home defeat to Morecambe.

And Watkiss fears Nick Henry's men will be anxious to make up for those successive setbacks when Harriers arrive at the McCain stadium.

"They've had two defeats so they're going to be very eager to get off the mark," said Watkiss, who is keen to see Kidderminster bounce back after Tuesday night's defeat at Exeter.

"There are no pushovers in this division and even though Scarborough aren't, perhaps, as fancied as some teams, it will be tough."

Watkiss insists his team will adopt a positive approach and a three-point haul would complete a useful start to their first season back in the Conference.

"I don't think there's any sense in going to games away from home unless you're going to be positive and try and win.

"I think it takes a brave kind of team to go to places like that and go for the win and that's what I hope we'll do."

Harriers could be without Martin O'Connor and Michael Blackwood who are receiving treatment for hamstring problems.

O'Connor limped off early in the second half at Exeter, while Blackwood was running on empty with a similar problem towards the end.

"We'll obviously delay a decision until as late as possible but they both look extremely doubtful," said Watkiss.

"It highlights the problem we've got with the depth of our squad when you break up your first XI.

"We've got a couple of options but we'll just have to wait and see," added Watkiss who is still looking for a left-sided midfielder to bolster his squad.

Taiwo Atieno could be in line for his first start up front after being used as a second half substitute against Woking and Exeter.

A slight knock prevented the on-loan Walsall striker from training much before his emphatic two-goal debut, but he is gradually reaching an acceptable level of fitness.

Scarborough's Neil Bishop is suspended for Saturday after being sent off for his part in a last minute flare-up during the defeat to Morecambe.

Boro head Henry has called on his players to stick together following their poor start to the season, insisting they deserved better than two straight defeats.

"Sometimes you don't get much justice in football," added Henry.