Mark Yates insists that it's up to Stuart Whitehead's replacement to impress in the upcoming league games following the skipper's dismissal at Hinckley today.

Harriers won 2-1 in the Setanta Shield at the Blue Square North strugglers, but had to play with ten men after Whitehead saw red after 55 minutes.

It was the former Shrewsbury Town man's second dismissal in as many months following his early exit from the FA Cup game at Ware, meaning the defender will miss at least the next two games, when Harriers meet Forest Green and Oxford United.

Yates voiced his disappointment with Whitehead's hesitancy this afternoon, and admitted that it will be down to whoever steps into his place - likely either Jon Munday or Gavin Hurren - to do a job.

Speaking after today's game, the manager said: "He didn't make a decision and he got caught out, I can't defend him.

"We needed to put out a strong side today and we wanted to treat the competition properly and get through to the next round but you can't legislate for things like that.

"It's disappointing that I've lost my Captain but I can't do everything for them out on the pitch; he's got to make a decision.

"It hasn't cost us today fortunately but it has over the next couple of games - Stuey misses out and it's someone else's good fortune."

Casting his eye back on the narrow win - the team's third win on the bounce, the gaffer praised his side for starting brightly and then seeing out the game.

He added: "For the first 35 minutes I thought we were fantastic and played some good stuff.

"We created a number of chances and good goalkeeping and defending stopped a few.

"They scored and the game changed a bit and we wanted to get back to how we started after the break but ten minutes in we're down to ten men.

"Credit to us, we stuck in there and the winning goal was pure class to be honest."

On Boxing Day Harriers are back in action in the Blue Square Premier after an absence of close to three weeks, and are charged with a trip to high-flying Forest Green Rovers.

There, among others in Jim Harvey's impressive ranks waits Stuart Fleetwood, the division's top goal scorer who notched his 27th goal of the campaign in their own Shield success today.

Yates vowed: "They're a good side and he's a good player but we've got players who can deal with him.

"We'll be ready for him but we won't worry about him, we won't lose any sleep, whoever comes in will have to do a job against him and the rest of the threat they have.

"We know that on any given day we can beat anybody."