HARRIERS 2, MANSFIELD 3

Harriers’ boss Steve Burr promised his players a lot of hard work on the training pitch this week after Saturday’s disappointing defeat against Mansfield Town left them anchored at the foot of the Blue Square Bet Premier table.

His side twice took the lead in an entertaining clash which ended with the Stags hitting back to clinch their first win of the season.

Harriers have now lost their opening three matches and will be anxious to kick start their campaign on Saturday when they visit fellow strugglers Dartford.

Burr said: “There'’ll be changes because we will work a lot harder this week to try and put things right for Saturday.”

The Aggborough outfit have now made their worst start to a season since 1999-2000 when they lost their first three matches before recovering to win the Conference and clinch promotion to the Football League.

Harriers, who had not scored in their opening two encounters against Lincoln City and Luton Town, took seven minutes to open their account through Jack Byrne.

Matt Green equalised for the big-spending Stags on the stroke of half time before Marvin Johnson put Burr’s boys back in front shortly after the interval.

Their hopes of securing a much-needed victory, however, were dashed by Lindon Meikle, who struck in the 60th and 78th minutes.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Burr, who said: “I’m very disappointed. There are too many individuals who aren’t producing what we know they’re capable of doing.

“We’ve got one or two new lads in but I know that they’re not producing what we expect of them and so collectively you’re not going to win matches.”

Burr is now turning to sights to Saturday’s trip to winless Dartford, saying: “We just want to get three points because as soon as we are up and running the better. The longer it goes on it makes it harder.

“But it was a disappointing result against Mansfield. Bits of the performance I thought were decent but as individuals at the minute they’re not the same lads that we saw during pre-season.”

Byrne put Harriers ahead with a close range header following a Johnson corner which was awarded after Stags’ goalkeeper Alan Marriott had done well to push away a snap shot from James Vincent.

Mansfield got back on terms when a free kick by Gary Roberts reached Matt Rhead whose header was pushed away by Danny Lewis only for the loose ball to be put away by Green on 45 minutes.

Johnson restored Harriers lead in the 52nd minute with a fiercely struck shot which took a wicked deflection off John Dempster.

Mansfield then went on to clinch victory when Meikle kept his cool to beat off a couple of challenges before planting the ball past Lewis.

Midfielder Meikle then burst through to notch the winner shortly after Mansfield had drafted on substitute Nick Wright, who was Harriers’ leading marksman last season with 17 goals.

Burr also made changes during the second half including the introduction of 22 year-old striker Nathan Blissett, who moved to Aggborough from Romulus on Friday.

Harriers: Lewis 6; Briggs 6, Geohaghon 6, Austin 6, Williams 6; Vincent 6, Storer 6 (Blissett, 68, 5), Byrne 6; Rowe 5 (Shakes 68, 5), Malbon 5, JOHNSON 7 (Pilkington, 87). Subs not used: N. Vaughan, Demetriou.

Mansfield: Marriott; Sutton, Jones, Dempster, Daniel; Todd, Roberts, Howell, Meikle; Green (Wright, 73), Rhead. Subs not used: Speight, Briscoe, Clements, Thompson.

Referee: Ross Joyce (Teeside).

Attendance: 1,770 (400 away fans)