Harriers 2
Mansfield 0

FORTRESS Aggborough's battlements remain as sturdy as ever after Harriers ground down a stubborn but unambitious Mansfield side on Tuesday night.

Harriers recorded their 10th home win of the season on a bitterly cold night in Worcestershire.

Victory also ensured they rose to third in the Blue Square Premier, leaping above Torquay, who lost 4-2 at Eastbourne Borough.

Manager Mark Yates kept the same team that had edged Salisbury four days before.

Mansfield had former Harriers Gavin Hurren and Alex Jeannin in a defensive minded 4-3-3 formation.

The visitors set out to frustrate the hosts and in a soporific first period they succeeded in stifling out of sorts Harriers.

For all their pressure in the first period, the hosts huffed and puffed and created little in chances.

The closest they came was when Lee Baker's cross was almost turned in by defender Alex Jeannin, who wisely left the ball as it flashed across goal.

Russ Penn also saw two efforts fly over the bar.

Harriers though were more determined in the second half and Justin Richards could have fired them into the lead inside the first minute, only for former Harrier Hurren to clear his low shot off the line.

The home side were pressing for an opening goal but looked comfortable at the back.

The only time goalkeeper Adam Bartlett was called into action was when he tipped over Adnam Ahmed's dipping 20-yard effort.

Substitute David McDermott added some drive to the home side and he powered to the byline before cutting back a low cross, which missed everyone in the box.

Matthew Barnes-Homer, who had been struggling with an illness, then forced a fine save from keeper James Annerson, who had been drafted in by the Stags from Sheffield United on an emergency loan Tuesday.

The keeper turned away the pacy striker's header.

Harriers though made the breakthrough in the 73rd minute when Keith Lowe rose majestically to head Martin Brittain's cross into the back of the net.

It was the former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender's first goal for Harriers.

This prompted the hosts to search for a second and captain Mark Creighton lashed in a shot after Mansfield failed to clear a corner, which deflected off a defender.

The game and all three points were ensured in the 85th minute when Russ Penn played in Richards and he fired in a low shot beyond Annerson from 15 yards out.

Harriers: Bartlett 6; Baker 7; Creighton 8; Riley 7; LOWE 9; Smikle 6 (McDermott, 68); Penn 7; Bennett 6 (Ferrell, 44); Brittain 7; Richards 6; Barnes-Homer 6 (Beardsley, 84).

Unused substitutes: Moore; Jones.

Mansfield: Annerson; Moses (Somner, 23); Silk; D'Laryea; O'Hare; Arnold (O'Connor, 66); Lee; Ahmed; Hurren; Jeannin; Sinclair.

Unused substitutes: Kay; Wood; McGhee.

Referee: R Merchant (Staffordshire). Attendance: 1,266 (78)