Tough run for Corby Town begins with home clash

The Corby Town players face a testing few weeks. Picture by Jim Darrah

Gary Mills knows Corby Town are heading into a testing few weeks.

The Steelmen will take on three of the current top seven in the Northern Premier League Midlands in their next three matches, starting with a clash against seventh-placed Coleshill Town at Steel Park tomorrow (Saturday),

That will then be followed by a trip to third-placed Chasetown next weekend before Corby host current leaders Ilkeston Town on Saturday, February 5.

It’s a tough run at the best of times but it looks all the more tough given the Steelmen are currently without a win in their last 10 league matches.

They have, at least, stopped the rot in the last two games following seven defeats in a row as a 2-2 draw at Sutton Coldfield Town was followed by a first clean sheet since early October in a 0-0 with Yaxley last weekend.

“We needed a clean sheet, there’s no doubt about that,” boss Mills said.

“We have been leaking goals right, left and centre. Going back a couple of months, we were the opposite. We weren’t conceding and if we were, it was only the odd one.

“So it was nice to get back to a clean sheet and I thought we edged it on Saturday.

“We had the better chances and hit the crossbar late on. They did have the odd chance but we were the ones who pressed the game more.

“It was better but it was better for me with having the same 16 players to choose from for the second game in a row.

“We are coming into a run now where we are playing three teams who are sitting in the top seven.

“It’s a test for us but we have to come through these tests. We would love to top last weekend’s draw up with a positive result on Saturday.”

Mills, meanwhile, believes having a full squad to choose from in the last two matches has given the whole Corby dressing-room a lift.

“It started before the game at Sutton Coldfield, you could feel things were better in the dressing-room simply because we had lads back and a full squad to choose from,” he added.

“It can be soul destroying, particularly when you have a game like the Stamford one where we had 11 players available and we had to put a couple of 16 year olds on the bench.

“For the players alone to see their mates back in there and available, it gives them a lift.

“Without doubt, the dressing-room has been a lot brighter before the last two matches.

“We feel there has been a lift in the atmosphere in those two games and we need to keep that going.”