Bradshaw keen to see where Desborough are as unbeaten Kempston come to town

Desborough Town look to end the only unbeaten record in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Premier Division tomorrow (Saturday).
Shaun Sparrow wants Rothwell Corinthians to build on their performance against Kettering Town in two league games in the next weekShaun Sparrow wants Rothwell Corinthians to build on their performance against Kettering Town in two league games in the next week
Shaun Sparrow wants Rothwell Corinthians to build on their performance against Kettering Town in two league games in the next week

They welcome AFC Kempston Rovers to the Waterworks Field and according to Ar Tarn boss Chris Bradshaw, Kempston will be champions at the end of the season.

Currently four points behind leaders Leicester Nirvana, Kempston have a game in hand on the table toppers and are unbeaten in 24 league matches this season.

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Bradshaw said: “I think Kempston will win the league this season.

“They have the mentality of champions. That is, even if they don’t play well, they don’t get beaten.

“But they will lose at some stage this season and why shouldn’t it be us who beats them?

“We’ve only lost one of our last seven games, so we are playing well enough.

“This game will show us where we are.”

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Last week, Ar Tarn drew 2-2 at Peterborough Northern Star after goals from John Dean and Jason Turner put them 2-0 up inside the opening five minutes.

Dean misses out this week, but Turner could have a key role.

“Jason joined us from Kempston and his knowledge could be very useful to us,” said Bradshaw.

“I’m going to have a chat with him and I’m hoping he can tell us how we can get at them and what we need to be aware of.”

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The clash looks to be the pick of the day’s Premier Division fixtures and Bradshaw added: “It would be fantastic to see a good crowd there on Saturday.

“If people want to see what the best team in the UCL looks like, they should come along.”

Rothwell Corinthians boss Shaun Sparrow has called for his players to build on an “outstanding” performance heading into back-to-back away games.

Corinthians travel to Boston Town on Saturday and face a trip to Sileby Rangers on Tuesday night.

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Corinthians are now concentrating on pulling further clear of the Premier Division drop zone after missing out on a place in the Northants Hiller Cup final.

Kettering Town beat them 2-0 in front of a bumper crowd at Sergeants Lawn on Tuesday night with two goals in the last 10 minutes.

Sparrow said: “We were absolutely outstanding.

“We wanted a good Kettering side and that’s what we got. I was thinking: ‘We might just do this,’ but we knew they had the quality to take their chances if they got them and that’s what they did.

“The first goal came with 10 minutes to go and that knocked the stuffing out of us.

“We had given everything and weren’t able to go again.

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“We have to take our form from that game into the matches at Boston and Sileby.

“If we keep playing like that, I will be a happy man come the end of the season.”

Wellingborough Town head to Harborough Town having been handed a boost in their battle to beat the drop in the Premier Division.

The Doughboys didn’t play last weekend but defeat for Oadby Town at Eynesbury Rovers put a smile on boss Jon Mitchell’s face.

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The result means the Doughboys are only two points behind Oadby and have two games in hand on them.

Mitchell (pictured) said: “We’ve got the chance to pull away from the bottom three if we win our games in hand.

“We know what we have to do now and I’m confident the lads can go out and do it.”

The Doughboys were beaten 3-0 at home by Harborough in December and, looking back on that match, Mitchell admitted: “We just didn’t turn up.

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“We were very lacklustre, but the shape and mentality of the side are different now.

“We set the bar with our performances against Kempston and Peterborough Northern Star and we have to maintain that.”

The Doughboys took four points from those two matches and for Mitchell, this weekend’s game takes him back to one of the former clubs.

Mitchell was a hero of the Harborough side that escaped the drop from the Premier Division in 2013/2014.

He said: “It’s a great set up at Harborough.

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“I wasn’t there that long, but I know the chairman and a few people behind the scenes.”

Mitchell welcomes back Will Miziumbiri from suspension this weekend and has also ruled himself out of playing again this season.

Mitchell, a star in the 2-1 win at Sileby Rangers shortly after taking on the manager’s job in October, added: “It’s difficult trying to play and manage and anyway.

“I have the players who can keep us up.”

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