MICHAEL Blackwood has urged his team-mates to start shooting on sight against Scarborough on Saturday if they are to repeat the scoreline from their last clash against the Seadogs.

Blackwood scored the second of his two goals this season in the 4-0 FA Trophy victory over the Yorkshire club last month, albeit with his head.

But the tricky left-footer is convinced Kidderminster need to start being more ruthless with their boots if they are to start climbing up the Conference table.

"I'm more of a creator but I need to be getting more goals," said Blackwood, who signed for Harriers after being released by Lincoln City last summer.

"It's getting that confidence. I'm always trying to pass or cross and I never seem to go for goal.

"I can't speak for the rest of the lads but I personally think we need to get rid of the fear of missing and trying to walk the ball into the net.

"We just need to shoot more and if we shank it and it goes wide, who cares? We just need to try our luck."

Blackwood's only other Harriers goal came in possibly the club's best performance of the season, their 3-0 LDV Vans Trophy win at Boston.

And with a trip to League Two Carlisle United in the last eight of the competition on Tuesday, Blackwood admits Harriers play better against footballing sides.

They have already seen off Darlington, Boston and Bradford in lower-league football's premier knockout competition, playing effective pass and move football along the way.

Blackwood personally prefers to get the ball down on the deck and run opponents - as often as the Aggborough surface allows - but admits his only gripe is the lack of service he receives.

By his own admission the 26-year-old Brummie has blown hot and cold this season with Harriers fans yet to see the best of him.

But although he is reluctant to pass the buck, he concedes there have been long periods in games where the ball completely bypasses him.

"I love playing left wing but the trouble is if you don't really get the ball or you haven't really got anybody giving it to you you can be isolated and frozen out of it," he said.

"The next thing you know you're not in the game and the manager is on your back.

"But if you go and get it there's people on your back for being out of position so you just end up running about like a headless chicken.

"When I have got the ball I love it and I know that nine times out of 10 I can make things happen.

"I do get frustrated and fed up and I take it out on Hats (Wayne Hatswell) and the midfield for not giving me the ball, but I don't mean it because we're all big mates."

The former Villa winger was signed by Stuart Watkiss, but has plenty of positives to say about the new management duo of Mark Yates and Neil Howarth.

He played alongside Howarth and Telford before the New Bucks Head went bust and he is delighted to be re-united with his old pal.

"It's good to keep friends with everybody because you never know when they're going to turn up again," he said with a grin.

"Neil was my cards partner on the coach at Telford so we get on well.

"It was a bit of a shock to see him turn up to training here and I've told him that I'm still going to hammer him, but I've got to be careful now!

"Neil's a top bloke as a player and now I've seen him here in training he's exactly the same as a coach."

Blackwood also has kind words about his first impressions of Yates.

He said: "There are similarities with the way he wants to play but he's different from Stuart Watkiss and Martin O'Connor as a person with his man management skills and I like it."