Harriers poop Stags' party

Mark Yates' side outplayed the Stags on a rainy night and confirmed that they are more than a match for anyone in the division when they are on their mettle.

Goals for Matthew Barnes-Homer, Gavin Caines and Chris McPhee saw Harriers pass their first big test of the campaign against one of the division's high-fliers.

The hosts could have won by a larger margin, if not for the heroics of Mansfield shot-stopper Alan Marriott, who save a Barnes-Homer penalty and denied the excellent Darryl Knights and McPhee.

Harriers were without the injured duo of Robbie Matthews (groin) and John Finnigan (ankle), while Kyle Hadley was relegated to the bench.

This meant that Knights and David McDermott were both handed rare starts against the Stags.

The home side looked up for the match and had the first shot on target when Brian Smikle fired in a low effort that was straight at Marriott.

Mansfield were also probing for an opener and Scott Garner headed wide at the far post from Ryan Williams' free-kick.

But the hosts opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Barnes-Homer unlocked Mansfield's offside trap, raced goalwards and slotted a fine shot past the keeper Alan Marriott.

Harriers could have gone 2-0 up in the 21st minute when Gavin Caines slid into meet Knights' whipped-in low free-kick but the big centreback was a fraction from connecting.

The away side were stunned by the goal but despite their efforts they failed to open up the home team in the first 20 minutes.

Midfielder Gary Mills charged down a corner and fired in a shot but saw Caines made a well-time sliding block.

At the other end, Mansfield's defence looked nervy and was giving Knights tons of space to weave his magic.

His link up play was driving the home side forward and he set Brian Smikle scampering down the left but as he raced to the byline his cross went out of the play.

Matthew Barnes-Homer then got underneath the ball from five yards out and headed over the bar in the 43rd minute.

The away side applied some pressure on Harriers and got their first shot on target in the first minute of injury time, when substitute Kyle Perry's low 30-yard free-kick burst through the wall but keeper Dean Coleman made a simple save.

But the hosts doubled their lead in the second minute of the second half. Caines rose imperiously at the far post to meet Knights' corner and thundered a super header beyond a helpless Alan Marriott.

Knights almost grabbed the goal he deserved in the 50th minute when he release Smikle down the left, got the ball back 20-yards out and flashed a fierce low drove just wide of the keeper's left-hand post.

Stags manager David Holdsworth decided to throw on substitute Louis Briscoe in an effort to out-muscle the home side.

Tempers flared in the 67th minute when Martin Riley lashed out at man-mountain Perry as he went down easily in the box at a corner. The centreback was shown a yellow card, as was Dean Bennett. Mansfield hitman Duffy and Mills were also booked by the match official.

Harriers made the points safe in the 69th minute when Smikle slipped the ball to McPhee and he coolly squeezed a neat sidefooted shot beyond the keeper.

The goal knocked the fight out of the Stags and Harriers looked to increase their advantage, with dangerman Knights stinging Marriott's palms with a firm low effort in the 79th minute.

They were presented with an ideal opportunity to extend their lead in the 82nd minute when Barnes-Homer's shot was handled by Scott Garner.

However, Marriott guessed the right way, dived to his right and blocked the resulting penalty from the striker.

McPhee almost added a fourth moments later when his strong effort was blocked by the alert Marriott.

The away side were handed a lifeline in the 88th minute when Rob Duffy scored from the penalty spot, after Lee Baker was harshly adjudged to have handed Briscoe's cross.

But the hosts still searched to restore their three-goal advantage and Knights saw a fierce effort tipped over by the alert Marriott.

In the end, Harriers survived four minutes of time added on and record a richly deserved victory.

Harriers: Coleman 7; Baker 7; Courtney 7; Caines 8; Riley 6; Smikle 7 (Dolman, 93); Bennett 6; McDermott 7; McPhee 7; Knights 9; Barnes-Homer 7.

Unused substitutes: Farrell; Hadley; Sharpe; Hayward.

Mansfield: Marriott; Gardner; Mills; Garner; Jones; Duffy; Clare (Perry, 40); Williams (Sturrock, 70); Silk; Speight (Briscoe, 58); Nix.

Unused substitutes: Somner; Graham.

Referee: Rob Lewis (Shrophshire). Attendance: 1,378 (311)