Burton 0
Harriers 2

THE form book wasn't just torn up by Harriers it was incinerated and its ashes fired into space such was the impressive result that manager-cum-magician Mark Yates and his team conjured up at Burton Albion on Saturday.

No one outside of Aggborough expected Harriers to leave Burton with all three points, but they produced a performance that should send shivers down the rest of the Blue Square Premier.

Harriers were given unfancied odds of 4-1 underdogs by some bookies before this clash away at the Brewers, who had carved out a 16-game unbeaten run in all competitions and had only lost once.

But by the time heroic Harriers were finished with them it was the home manager Nigel Clough who had a hangover of massive proportions.

Yates changed his formation to 4-5-1 and entrusted the industrious Justin Richards to lead the line, even though the hitman had been suffering from a cold.

Despite his ailment, Richards led the line magnificently, while Harriers' midfield five was the perfect combination of steel, honest endeavour and pace that kept the home side at bay.

At first sight the change seemed negative but with the pacey quartet of Michael Blackwood, Michael McGrath, Paul Bignot and Brian Smikle on the flanks it was a bold move as Harriers played the better football and looked dangerous throughout.

From the start Harriers did not let Burton settle and looked accomplished when they went forward.

Smikle had a chance in the second minute when Richards' shot deflected to him in the box, but his tame effort was well held by experienced keeper Kevin Poole.

With Richards up front on his own it was up to Russ Penn to support the striker and search for goals.

The Harriers midfielder, buoyed by his call-up to England C's squad to face Finland next week, looked hungry throughout and opened the scoring in the 19th minute.

Smikle, who made the most of a rare start with a fine performance, played Penn into the box and he skipped past a lunging Tony James and slotted the ball beyond Poole.

The goal stunned Burton into action but Harriers' defence was equal to the threat. Michael Blackwood, who again looked effective in the left back position, cleared Andy Gooding's goal-bound shot off the line, before former Kidderminster man John McGrath saw a 30-yard effort deflected wide.

But with Dean Bennett breaking from deep in his own half and striding through midfield at will, Harriers always had an outlet to relieve the pressure.

Penn should have doubled his side's lead in the 33rd minute after Blackwood powered his way past Andy Corbett and John Brayford and picked out the England man in the box, only for him to shoot wide.

Such was Harriers' solidity in defence it looked as though Burton could not find a way through, but striker Jake Edwards' cross late in the half caused confusion between captain Stuart Whitehead and keeper Chris MacKenzie, but the excellent Andy Ferrell got back to clear.

Harriers continued to probe for a second goal and Penn saw a shot from the edge of the area deflected wide.

At the other end Burton's top-scorer Daryll Clare looked as if he had been sampling Burton's famous wares before the game, as he squandered a series of chances to get the mis-firing home side back into the game.

Paul Bignot cleared John Brayford's header to the seven-goal hitman, who volleyed over the bar from close range in the 57th minute.

Harriers were under pressure but Bignot grabbed his first goal for the club at a crucial time.

The former Crewe man skipped past Burton captain Aaron Webster on the right wing and exchanged passes with Richards, beat the offside trap and slotted the ball under Poole in the 61st minute.

Harriers had to play the final 20 minutes with ten men after Dean Bennett was shown a red card for a two-footed tackle on Brayford in Burton's half of the pitch.

It was a reckless challenge that deserved a booking but the on-loan Chester man was unlucky to be shown a red by referee Mr Sutton.

It means the on-loan Chester man will miss the next three games through suspension.

Despite the set back Harriers defended solidly and rode their luck as a host of chances were made and missed by the wasteful Clare.

The striker suffered his own case of Brewers droop late on when MacKenzie denied him late on with a point-blank save.

It proved to be the last meaningful attack Harriers had to repel, as they sealed all three points to boost the team's chances of making the end of season play-offs.

In order to do that they must build on this result and ensure it isn't just a flash in the pan and maintain this level of performance throughout the campaign.

Harriers: MacKenzie 7; Creighton 7; Whitehead 7; PENN 8; Blackwood 7; Smikle 7; McGrath 6 (Barnes-Homer, 80); Ferrell 7; Bignot 7; Bennett 6, Richards (Christie, 6, 75). Subs not used: Harkness; Hurren.

Burton: Poole; Corbett; Webster; James; McGrath; Edwards; Clare; Gilroy; Austin (Harrad, 62); Brayford; Gooding.

Referee: GJ Sutton. Attendance:1,864.