Stone wary of new-look Corby Town as Doughboys head to Steel Park on derby day
Wellingborough Town boss Jake Stone admits he isn't quite sure what to expect from a new-look Corby Town when the two sides meet in a huge Northants derby on Saturday (ko 3pm).
The Doughboys make the short trip to Steel Park sitting five points clear at the top of the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division, having won 10 of their 11 matches.
They will take on a Steelmen side currently sitting in the relegation zone having won just once in 12 league encounters, but that does not tell the whole story.
Corby are now under the management of Graham Drury, and in his three games since taking over from Leon Mettam, the team has claimed three draws.
Drury has overseen a dramatic overhaul of the Steelmen squad, bringing in virtually a whole team of new players, with many of them having played at higher levels.
And Stone says that is why his players will have to be wary on Saturday.
"I think they have made nine or 10 signings, maybe a few less, and it is going to be a different side so we won't know lots about them," Stone told Doughboys TV.
"I watched them when Graham Drury had just gone there and they had loads of different players, so we don't really know what we are going to get.
"We know what we are going to get from the environment, we know what we are going to get in regards to the atmosphere because they have a lot of fans."
And on that point, Stone made an appeal to the Doughboys supporters to try and make the trip across county in numbers.
"We just want to make sure the Wellingborough supporters, and it has been great, our numbers at home games have been going up and it's really positive, we just want to see them at Corby as well," said Stone.
"If we can get more people together at Corby we will be able to make a little bit of noise and try and compete a bit.
"The lads actually buzz off that more than people think and we massively appreciate it, so please come to Corby on Saturday because we are going to need you."