Steelmen's loss leaves Mills so disappointed

Ben Milnes was on target for Corby Town but it proved to be only a consolation as they went down 2-1 to Coalville Town

Having kicked off the new year with a four-match unbeaten run, the Steelmen had given themselves renewed hope of battling their way out of trouble at the wrong end of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division.

But two first-half goals from Rory Coleman proved to be enough for the visitors to seal a 2-1 win, even though Ben Milnes pulled a goal back after former Steelman Anton Brown had been sent-off for a second bookable offence.

The defeat has left Corby still seven points adrift of safety ahead of Saturday’s huge clash at fellow strugglers Ilkeston.

And boss Mills was unable to hide his disappointment.

“It was a disappointing evening,” the Corby manager said.

“The lads didn’t produced the same intensity, work rate and endeavour that they have been delivering.

“Coalville came here and sat behind the ball and frustrated us.

“They are a physical side but they have done to us what we have been doing to teams.

“They showed us some respect and they have defended their half and we didn’t have the answer to unlock them.

“I saw what everyone else saw, I felt a few decisions didn’t go our way but in the first half we were way too open.

“We were expansive but it was like a knife through butter at times, it was too easy for them. The first half was not good enough.

“Once they were down to 10 men, everyone wanted to get on the ball and express themselves but I want lads to do that when it’s 11 versus 11.

“The amount of times we got into their final third but didn’t test the keeper or didn’t have an end product of nigh-on embarrassing.

“There was no pressure on the ball, we had free-kicks hitting the first man, there was just a real lack of quality lacking in the final third and that was our undoing.”