Steelmen assistant Gee so impressed after draw with Poppies

Corby Town assistant-manager Darron Gee was full of praise for Corby Town’s youngsters after they produced an impressive display to draw 1-1 with Kettering Town at the weekend.

The pre-season clash in the Newlands Shield attracted a healthy crowd of 517 to Steel Park on Saturday and the majority of them left impressed with what they saw from the Steelmen.

Despite having a number of senior players missing, Gary Mills’ team more than matched their higher-ranked local rivals and, after falling behind to a first-half penalty, they grabbed a deserved equaliser after the break when hometown boy Connor Furey finished off a neat move.

With under two weeks to go until the Steelmen kick their season off in the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup, Gee was more than happy with what he saw.

“These young lads are getting better and better all the time,” the Corby assistant-boss said.

“This is the time of year when you want to have a look at two or three players and the squad is probably still a bit thin but the lads who have come in have done well and given myself and Gary a headache as to what we do, obviously we can’t carry everyone.

“We put another formation on them because of the injuries and people missing and they adapted and took to it really well.

“In the few games we have had, we have seen contrasting styles and we have had to adapt in each circumstance.

“This was another test for us but I thought Elliot Sandy and Jake Holt in the heart of the defence were absolutely magnificent and stood up strongly when others might have buckled.”

Gee was also impressed with the performance of striker Ross McParland who set up the equaliser for Furey to cap a good display.

“I have known Ross a long time, I have had him since he was 14 and I know what he is capable of,” Gee added.

“What we have to do is just calm him down a little bit in front of goal.

“He sometimes gets frustrated when he doesn’t score a goal but his work rate and ethic was fantastic, I can’t fault that at all.”

The Steelmen are back in pre-season action next Saturday when they head to Eastwood CFC.