Setchell says Steelmen have to 'stay positive' after mixed start to new campaign

The Steelmen, who are without a game this weekend following their exit from the FA Cup, had a mixed Bank Holiday weekend.

On Saturday they slumped to a third straight home defeat as they were beaten 1-0 by Coleshill, failing to recover from Lewis Collins' second-minute strike for the visitors.

But they bounced back in style on Monday, claiming an emphatic 3-1 derby day win at AFC Rushden & Diamonds to seal a third win out of three on the road in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division.

Luke Massingham had fired Diamonds ahead in the first-half, but second-half goals from Drew Richardson, Tristan Thompson-Matthews and Khristopher Oti turned the game on its head.

The win means the Steelmen, despite not being at their best, are sitting fifth in the table, just three points behind leaders Spalding United, and Setchell knows there is more to come from his team.

"We have to stay positive as a football club," said the Corby boss. "We have not had the best start, at home we have had three games, we haven't scored a goal, and we have lost all three.

"Away from home we have won all three and scored 12, so it doesn't make sense.

"The home form will come, and we have to stick together because this is a good team. We have not had a good start and we have got nine points out of 15.

"There are a lot of teams in this league would love nine points, so we are not in the worst position."

Talking to @CorbyTownFc after the win at Hayden Road, Setchell added: "I thought we were good value, even though we went 1-0 down as I thought that was against the run of play, and we have to stop gifting teams early goals.

"We do have to be more ruthless in both boxes, and this team will get better, there's no question about that, but I was really disappointed to go in 1-0 down.

"Rushden are not going to be in the bottom four, they are ready to win. They have lost narrowly to Khalsa and Spalding and they matched us for long periods of the game.

"In fact, after we scored they probably had their best spell which we weathered, and then in the last half-hour there was only one team that was going to go on and win the game.

"So that was pleasing and that was a big win for us."

The Steelmen are next in action on September 9 when they travel to Anstey Nomads in the FA Trophy.

"We have a break now and we are going to get some really good work into the players that need it," said the Steelmen boss.

"We are going to be training, it is going to be like a mini pre-season, and we will come back at Anstey and then my main focus is on the match at Hinckley (Sept 16).

"We want to go away and get a fourth away win in the league."