All of us must up our game, says Corby Town manager Mills

The Steelmen have struggled this season and face another tough test at Steel Park this weekend
Corby Town manager Gary Mills. Picture by Oliver AtkinCorby Town manager Gary Mills. Picture by Oliver Atkin
Corby Town manager Gary Mills. Picture by Oliver Atkin

Gary Mills insists everyone at Corby Town must “up our game” in a bid to rescue their season.

The Steelmen’s disappointing campaign continued at the weekend as they were beaten 4-2 at Carlton Town.

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Mills’ team have won just once in their last six matches in all competitions and their latest defeat left them sitting in 12th place in the Northern Premier League Midlands and a huge 15 points off the play-off places as the season approaches the halfway point.

Things aren’t about to get any easier either as Corby return to Steel Park this weekend to take on in-form Belper Town.

Belper’s 4-0 victory over Sutton Coldfield Town on Tuesday night was their 10th win in their last 11 league matches – a run that has catapulted them up to second place in the table.

Mills firmly believes his players are capable of much more but he knows it’s up to him to find a way to turn things around.

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“It’s not a good time for us at the moment,” the Corby boss said.

“While we might not have been winning as many games as we would have liked, we weren’t conceding many goals.

“But we have gone from a side not conceding many to letting in too many and when you concede like we are, you are going to lose matches and that’s what we are doing.

“It’s a situation we need to get ourselves out of very, very quickly because it’s become a habit that none of us like and one that is not going to bring us success.

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“We have to find a way to turn a season, which has been very difficult in more ways than one, around.

“It’s something that has to be done. There will be no excuses. We all need to up our game and start to show the character that can get us out of the situation we find ourselves in.

“I have got players there who are capable of being successful and winning games at this level.

“To go and lose the way we did on Saturday with the players we had out there was not acceptable.

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“I actually thought we were the better side in the first half. We created chances and possibly played the best we have done for a long time.

“But we conceded 20 seconds before the whistle went for half-time so we were coming in 2-1 down rather than 1-1 having been the better team.

“We were more than well beaten in the second half and we were the side who played against Loughborough the week before.

“We had a conversation about going back to the basics and I thought we did that in the first half but in the second half we were poor with the basics again, it’s as simple as that.

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“In football, one game can turn where you are in a season and, for us, that one game is now Belper on Saturday.

“A good side is a consistent side and Belper are consistent at the moment, we’re not.

“There’s a lot not right on the pitch at the moment and it’s my job to get it right.

“I am employed to bring success on the pitch and to make sure the players are doing their jobs but, at the moment, it’s not reflecting well on me because results and performances aren’t good enough.”

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Mills confirmed he is hoping to add another new face to his squad ahead of this weekend’s game.

The Steelmen signed young defender Josh Flanagan on loan from Northampton Town late last week and he marked his debut by scoring the second goal in the defeat at Carlton.

“We brought Josh in on loan from Northampton and I thought he did well on Saturday,” Mills added.

“We are hopeful we will have everyone available for this weekend and there might be another addition before then.”