Mansfield 0
Harriers 3

SUPERB Harriers produced their best performance of the season to trounce in-form Mansfield at Field Mill on Saturday.

The Aggborough outfit bounced back superbly from their Blue Square Bet Premier loss to Fleetwood in the week to end the Stags' eight-match unbeaten run.

The performance was also the perfect response for manager Steve Burr, who made six changes to his starting line-up.

Goals for Kyle Storer and Nick Wright inside the first ten minutes rocked Mansfield, before Lee Vaughan's penalty cemented Harriers' dominance.

However, despite the home team seeing Louis Briscoe sent off in the second half, Reds keeper Danny Lewis and his defence, especially the exemplary Luke Jones, had to be at their best to repel Mansfield's spirited attempts at a comeback.

Burr made six changes to the side which suffered a heavy defeat at Fleetwood five days before.

Tom Sharpe was handed his first start of the season as a replacement for central defender Tom Marshall.

Jack Byrne, Callum Gittings, Nick Wright and Jamille Matt were also drafted in, as was ex-Stags hitman Luke Medley.

In contrast, Mansfield boss Paul Cox kept the same starting 11 for the sixth game in a row.

However, the away side made a fine start with goals in the sixth and eighth minutes stunning the hosts.

First, midfielder Storer nodded them ahead at the far post from Vaughan's fine cross.

Moments later, Wright raced onto Gittings' through ball and clinically slipped a shot past keeper Alan Marriott.

The home team tried to respond and from an Adam Murray free-kick, centre back Ben Futcher rose well to get a header on target but Storer was on hand clear it away on the line.

However, Harriers continued to force the pace and Storer saw a 20-yard effort scrambled away by Mansfield's keeper.

Vaughan also came close after a barn-storming run but Harriers' attack-minded right back made it 3-0 in the 22nd minute.

Reds skipper Mike Williams swapped passes with Wright and burst into the box, only to be brought down by Lindon Miekle to concede a spot-kick, which Vaughan dispatched into the bottom left corner.

The hosts tried to reply in the first half but found Harriers' defence in resolute mood.

Stags hitman Matt Green saw a shot blocked by Sharpe, while left-back Joe Kendrick's dangerous free-kick flew through the away side's penalty area but none of his teammates could make a telling contact to ruffle keeper Danny Lewis.

Lewis was called into action inside the first minute with a hat-trick of saves.

He saved comfortably from Green but moments later, showed superb razor-sharp reactions to push Ross Dyer's snapshot onto the bar before smothering the ball as hit ricocheted onto the pitch.

Harriers' keeeper then blocked another effort from the dangerous Green.

The visitors replied well and after Mansfield failed to deal with Medley's cross properly, Gittings lashed in a right-footed first-time effort which crashed off the bar.

Wright could not take advantage of a strong break in the 59th minute. He had raced onto Medley's pass but his square pass to Matt, who was in an excellent position to score, was too long.

Harriers' opponents were reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute after Briscoe was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Vaughan.

The dismissal galvanised the home team, who threw the kitchen at Harriers but the visitor's defence stood solid.

Luke Jones denied a certain goal, blocking efforts from Dyer and Paul Bolland on the line.

Lewis continued to produce heroics, rushing out from a corner to block Adam Murray before denying Kendrick a minute later.

Harriers could have increased their advantage but Matt was denied by Marriott, who had alertly came out to block his shot.

The big centre forward was replaced by debutant Mickey Demetriou in the 85th minute and saw his close range shot hit Luke O'Nell on Mansfield's goal line.

Harriers: Lewis; Vaughan; Mike Williams; Jones; Byrne; Wright; Sharpe; Medley (Marc Williams, 72); Gittings (Phelan, 82) Matt (Demetriou, 85); Storer.

Unused substitutes: Lyness; Briscoe.

Mansfield: Marriott; Kendrick; Briscoe; Green; Murray; Dyer; O'Neill; Sutton; Howell (Worthington, 32); Meikle (Bolland, 32); Futcher.

Unused substitutes: Redmond; Naylor; Connor.

Referee: Scott Duncan (Newcastle Upton Tyne). Attendance: 2,522 (117)