Boss Mark Yates has admitted that his side needed to etch out their win at Salisbury yesterday - and has called for the defensive performance to be used as a benchmark for future games.

Harriers won 1-0 on Saturday - thanks in no small part to a much-improved performance from the back five.

The win gave a first clean sheet to goalkeeper Chris MacKenzie and a first clean sheet for Harriers since the win over York on September 8.

All in all, a good day's work for the side, and the rewards were 'deserved' according to Yates, who spoke to the official website today.

He told harriers.co.uk: "We said we needed to be better without the ball and as a team we were, we defended a hell of a lot better than we have been doing and we deserved to keep a clean sheet.

"Salisbury are a big, physical side who are very direct but very good at what they do and we stood up to the test and that's got to be our benchmark."

So after scoring at a frightening rate so far this season it was just a single goal that won it yesterday - that's perfectly fine for Yates, who added that it was just what Harriers needed.

"We didn't play with the same fluidity that perhaps we have been but we've got to find a happy medium," he continued.

"After the last few results we needed a game where we won 1-0 and I'm happy for the players, I knew they were better defensively than they'd been showing and they proved it yesterday.

"We've got to go to Northwich on Tuesday with the same commitment and attitude - we've got to work hard to get three points."

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