Boss Mills has no complaints after Corby Town's defeat

The Steelmen were unable to follow up their incredible victory last weekend
Gary Mills watches on from the sidelines during Corby Town's 2-0 defeat at AFC Dunstable last night. Pictures by Peter ShortGary Mills watches on from the sidelines during Corby Town's 2-0 defeat at AFC Dunstable last night. Pictures by Peter Short
Gary Mills watches on from the sidelines during Corby Town's 2-0 defeat at AFC Dunstable last night. Pictures by Peter Short

Gary Mills had few complaints after Corby Town suffered a 2-0 defeat at AFC Dunstable last night (Tuesday).

Three days on from an incredible second-half fightback at Steel Park which saw Corby come back from 3-0 down to beat Halesowen Town 4-3, the Steelmen’s four-game winning streak in all competitions was ended.

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They fell behind to a Bernard Christie goal after just eight minutes and were 2-0 down before half-time after Nick Elliot struck for the hosts just past the half-hour.

Craig Hill has to pick the ball out of the net after one of Dunstable's goalsCraig Hill has to pick the ball out of the net after one of Dunstable's goals
Craig Hill has to pick the ball out of the net after one of Dunstable's goals

This time, there was no way back for the Steelmen and while Mills knows his team must stop making life hard themselves, he believes his players have gained a “good return” of six points from three games in the past week.

“In the last two games, in particular, we haven’t started well and we have conceded early,” the Steelmen manager said.

“You can’t keep doing that. We got away with it on Saturday when we came back brilliantly. But you can’t keep giving goals away early on and expect to keep coming back and winning matches.

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“We never really created anything in the first half, only a couple of half-chances, and their goalkeeper wasn’t really tested until the last couple of minutes of the game.

Charlie Wise is helped away from the pitch after suffering an ankle injuryCharlie Wise is helped away from the pitch after suffering an ankle injury
Charlie Wise is helped away from the pitch after suffering an ankle injury

“I have no qualms with the result. The consistency has to be better. We can’t get a result like we did on Saturday and then not perform as well in the next game.

“Having said all that, we played last Wednesday, then Saturday and then last night and we have a small squad.

“We picked up two more injuries last night but we have played three games in six days and picked up six points out of nine and that’s how you have to look at it.

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“After five games we are sitting there in the top five. It would have been nice to pick up some more points last night but there were no arguments from me.

“We have got six points out of nine which is a good return and I am one of those managers who will look at it and say we could have drawn all three games and got three points or we could have won one and drawn two and got five points.

“It would have been nice to get all nine points but that’s dreamworld. The players have worked hard and got six points and we will move on.”

The injuries Mills referred to were to defenders Matt North and Charlie Wise who both had to be withdrawn due to ankle problems while Curtis Hartley was ruled out after pulling his hamstring at the weekend.

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It has left Corby “down to the bare bones” and Mills knows he will have to move to bolster the ranks, particularly before the Steelmen return to league action at fellow high-flyers Barton Rovers next weekend.

Corby have a re-match with Halesowen in the second qualifying round of the Buildbase FA Trophy this Saturday and Mills said: “My job now is to get some players in to bolster the squad because we are down to the bare bones.

“I have made phone calls already and I am trying to bring some players in who will strengthen us.

“We have a cup game at the weekend so it gives me 10 or 11 days to sort the squad out for the next league game.”

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