KIDDERMINSTER Harriers manager Mark Yates has backed his strike force to terrorise defences in the Blue Square Premier.

Robbie Matthews and Matthew Barnes-Homer were a formidable combination as Harriers stopped Blue Square Premier leaders Oxford United in their tracks at Aggborough on Saturday with a 3-1 win.

Barnes-Homer followed up his wonderstrike against the U’s by bagging the winner as England C got the better of Poland under-21s on Tuesday night.

The fearsome pair, who have taken time to forge a strong partnership because of injuries and suspensions, will have to be on their mettle as Harriers go to bogey side Kettering Town on Saturday (3pm kick-off) and Wrexham on Tuesday (7.45pm kick-off) in the league.

But Yates believes that if they can repeat the high standards they set themselves on Saturday, then the dynamic duo can rocket up the scoring charts.

“Robbie and Matthew were unplayable on Saturday and I think we saw them at their best,” commented the Harriers manager.

“Robbie has taken a while to settle because he’s missed a few games but I do think that they are gelling as a partnership.

“They’re big, strong, have got lots of pace and added to that are skilful. Now it’s about pushing them to get performances like that all the time.

“Matthew is playing very well at the minute. He’s been a bit quiet of late but he was back to his best on Saturday.

“It was a great performance and a good result against Oxford, the players deserve full credit for their efforts.

“We worked on a few things and they paid off but all the players were brilliant.

“We’ve set ourselves a standard now that I don’t want us to fall away from.

“We’ve got to try and produce these sort of performances every week because we know how well we can play.

“We’ve got a happy camp at the moment and the players’ confidence has been boosted by this result.”

Yates faces a selection headache for Saturday’s trip to Rockingham Road.

Captain Chris McPhee is available for Saturday’s Football Conference clash after serving his three-match suspension.

Midfielder John Finnigan is a doubt after a reccurrence of the groin strain that has plagued him since joining the club from Cheltenham Town in the summer.

Yates is keen to end a three-game losing run to the Poppies, who ended Harriers’ hopes of making the play-offs last season with a 1-0 win at Aggborough.

Goalkeeper Lee Harper has been appointed manager at Kettering after Yates’ friend Mark Cooper joined Championship outfit Peterborough at the start of the week.

Yates said: “They’re a bit of a bogey side for us, we’ve lost to them 1-0 three times.

“The last time we were all over them and they were lucky to score.

“But we go there in very good shape on the back of a good win hoping to put an end to our bad run.

“I do think this is a good time to play them. Mark [Cooper] has gone and their chairman has moved quickly to appoint someone else.

“Obviously, you don’t know how they will react so we must make sure we go there and put on a good performance.”

Yates has already spoken to the new Posh boss about extending the loan of left-back Daniel Andrew, which ends after the home league clash against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, November 28.

The fixture was moved by the club to fill the gap left by Barrow’s FA Cup clash at Oxford on the same day.