Poppies joint boss Bridgwater says belief is growing at Latimer Park
Joint boss David Bridgwater says the Kettering Town players are now starting 'to believe in themselves' as they prepare for a crunch Latimer Park clash with Rushall Olympic on Tuesday night (ko 7.45pm).
The Poppies will be aiming to exact some swift revenge on a Rushall side that beat them 3-2 in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central in September.
It is seventh taking on fourth, and Bridgwater will be hoping his side can build on an excellent week that has seen them chalk up two resounding home victories.
Kettering followed up their 4-0 league win over Leiston last Tuesday with a 6-2 FA Trophy thrashing of Quorn on Saturday, and Bridgwater believes his team is now 'starting to really click'.
"We have been saying in the dressing room that we have got so many good players in this team," Bridgwater told Kettering Town's YouTube channel.
"I told them me and Greeny (fellow joint boss Nick Green) believe in them, and that they really needed to start believing in themselves, and believing in each other.
"I think they are starting to do that now and we are starting to really click.
"We now have a tough game on Tuesday against Rushall.
"We didn't do quite enough when we went there, so the lads are going to be up for it, and the lads are confident."
A win would see Kettering move to within two points of Rushall with two games in hand, and with leaders Real Bedford suffering a first defeat of the season at the weekend - going down 3-1 at Bishop's Stortford - that race for top spot remains wide open with little more than a quarter of the season played.
"The boys have to keep believing," said Bridgwater.
"At home we are really good, our record is very good, so things are heading in the right direction.
"Rushall are a good team, they are right up there as well, they play good football.
"The results in the league have gone for us, and we now need to focus on our games and control the controllables."