Steelmen relishing different challenges in pre-season

The early stages of pre-season have shown some promise for the new-look Steelmen and that was only enhanced by a 1-1 draw at higher-ranked Nuneaton Borough last weekend.

Now the Steelmen are preparing for a trip to United Counties League Premier Division North side Quorn on Saturday before they head to Southern League Premier Central outfit Coalville Town next Tuesday night.

And Attenborough knows the first of those friendlies will represent a “different challenge” for his players.

“It’s a completely different challenge,” the Corby boss said.

“When you play a team from above you know you can go there, sit in and work hard.

“When you play teams from lower down, you have to show more quality on the ball, you have to try to get those little connections right.

“It’s a different proposition and it’s not all about being expected to go and turn a team over because they are from a lower level.

“We showed some good stuff defensively last weekend and now we have to go and show a bit more offensively.

“We are looking forward to this week, it will really show us where we’re at.”

Attenborough was impressed with his team’s efforts in the draw at Nuneaton last weekend.

Summer signing Florian Tsaguim was on target again as he gave Corby the lead before they were pegged back by a late equaliser from Matt Stenson.

“Nuneaton are a league above but they are probably fancied to be in the play-offs at least in that division,” he added.

“They have spent and recruited well and they had their full-strength team out.

“We played well on the day. We had a good shape about us, we probably gave up the lion’s share of possession but that was to be expected.

“We expected to do our work off the ball properly and the lads really dug in and worked hard.

“It was the first time we have played as a full unit and, overall, it was good, I was very happy with it.”

The Steelmen, meanwhile, now know how their NPL Midlands campaign will line up after the fixtures were released at the end of last season.

Corby’s campaign actually begins on Saturday, August 6 when they entertain AFC Mansfield in the extra preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup.

They will then be back at Steel Park a week later (August 13) to take on Coleshill Town in the league curtain-raiser before they head to newly-promoted Hinckley Leicester Road on Tuesday, August 16.

Other highlights of the league campaign see Corby hosting Daventry Town on Boxing Day while their other festive fixture is at Stamford on Monday, January 2. The return fixture with Daventry will be at Browns Road on Easter Monday, April 10.

The season will finish on Saturday, April 22 at Boldmere St Michaels.