Mixed feelings for Attenborough as Steelmen are held

Dan Gordon celebrates after he gave Corby Town the lead in their 2-2 draw with Sporting Khalsa at Steel Park. Pictures by Jim Darrah

Lee Attenborough was left with mixed feelings after Corby Town were pegged back in a 2-2 draw with Sporting Khalsa at Steel Park.

The Steelmen led twice in the game with Dan Gordon giving them the lead before Miracle Okafor replied for the visitors.

Curtis Burrows regained the lead for Corby from the penalty spot but they were forced to settle for a draw when Matthew Fulloway levelled six minutes before full-time.

The result means Khalsa remain just above the Steelmen in the final play-off position in the Northern Premier League Midlands.

The Corby players enjoy the moment after Curtis Burrows made it 2-1 from the penalty spot

And while Attenborough admitted his players were “gutted” to have conceded the late equaliser, he felt a draw was probably a fair outcome.

“It was two good sides going at it in a high tempo game and if we produce that performance week in, week out we would beat most teams,” the Corby manager said.

“You know it’s two good teams when there’s hardly any chances in the game.

“I don’t think, other than the goals, that the goalkeepers have made any saves at either end because both defences were tight.

“It was a really good scrap. It’s one of those games that probably deserved to be a draw because both teams put enough in to warrant it.

“I just said to a few fans that we aren’t far away. We still only lost two in 15 so we are doing something right but we just need to get over the line in games.

“I joked with someone that if the games were 85 minutes long we would be top of the league.

“We have got to find a way of managing games a bit better.

“We have gone through at 2-1 and we are three on one and we should slide it across and the game is dead but then, within a minute, it’s 2-2.

“It’s little things but, at the same time, I want the lads to be disappointed but I don’t want them to be down on themselves.

“They are a good group, they are all honest and they work hard and we are having to churn the same XI out at the moment because I feel like I can’t leave anyone out.

“I have said to the lads to come and take a shirt and they all are. We know there are bits to do but we are 15 games in, we finally have a settled squad.

“We have 16 players there who will run through a brick wall for you, they don’t just come and pick up their money and go home.

“They are all gutted and they will be fighting again next week to make sure we get three points.”