Sparrow demands more respect as Corinthians show they belong

Corinthians this week brought an end to Harborough Town’s eight-game unbeaten run in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Premier Division with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Sergeants Lawn.

Corinthians played for 63 minutes with only 10 men after Jordan Henson was sent off.

Despite the disadvantage, Callum Plowright equalised and after the visitors also had a player dismissed, Andy White won the match for Corinthians with a late penalty.

The result leaves Corinthians 16th in the table going into a run of four home games that starts with the visit of Eynesbury Rovers tomorrow (Saturday).

Corinthians seem certain to stay up and Sparrow said: “We have come a long, long way in the last couple of years and the club doesn’t get the respect we deserve.

“We are still looked down on. Whatever the reason for this, we don’t care. In fact, carry on doing it because the lads keep delivering on the pitch and that’s what matters, not what other people think of us.

“We’ve just beaten two big teams in the area in Desborough and Harborough and I’m very proud of the lads.

“Many teams would have folded after going down to 10 men on Tuesday night, but we were full of heart.

“Even when we were down to 10 men, I thought we created the better chances.

“We were outstanding, but the referee was atrocious.

“It was a hard, competitive game, as local derbies should be, but it was never nasty.”

Corinthians welcome two form teams to Seargents Lawn this week.

Following the visit of Eynesbury, they meet title challengers AFC Kempston Rovers.

Sparrow says his players have nothing to fear.

He said: “We have shown we can mix it with the best teams in this division.

“I knew we were good enough even if nobody else thought we were.

“We weren’t expected to be where we are now.

“We were fancied to be the whipping boys this season and we’re not. We’re not going anywhere.”

Wellingborough Town have a weekend off before their biggest game of the season.

The Doughboys boosted their hopes of finishing outside the bottom two in the UCL Premier Division with a 3-1 home win over Boston Town in midweek.

Boss Jon Mitchell was among the scorers in a game Wellingborough “dominated from the start,” according to assistant-manager Stuart Goosey.

The Doughboys return to action a week on Saturday when struggling Sileby Rangers visit the Dog & Duck.

Goosey said: “The whole season could come down to that game.

“It’s massive for us. It’s must win.

“We would rather than game was this Saturday because we are playing well.

“We should have beaten Leicester Nirvana (Town were beaten 3-2) and we dominated from the start against Boston.”

Dan Bendon and Alfie Taylor grabbed the other goals in Tuesday’s success.

Desborough Town boss Chris Bradshaw has vowed to get it right at Waterworks Field.

Ar Tarn are also without a game this weekend after four straight losses.

Bradshaw said: “There are questions being asked and we will answer them.

“We will get it right.

“We are feeling a bit sorry for ourselves at the moment, so we have to forget about what’s happened and move on.

“I’m desperate for us to finish the season on a high.

“Let’s see what we are made of in the these last four games.

“We have this weekend off and we don’t want that at the moment. That gives us more time to stew on what’s happened.

“But we have the club’s quiz night tonight, so we can get together and have some fun. There have been a few long faces around the place in recent weeks.”

Bradshaw felt his side’s latest defeat was “very hard to take.”

Sleaford grabbed the game’s only goal in the third minute of injury-time last week.

Bradshaw said: “It was the very last kick of the game and was very hard to take.

“The game had 0-0 written all over it and the players were really hurting afterwards. They didn’t deserve that. I really felt for them.”