We’re just falling a bit short, admits Steelmen manager Setchell

The Steelmen boss praised his players for “giving me everything” but they struggled to create clear-cut chances in front of a bumper crowd of 934 at the Harborough Town Community Ground.

In the end, Nat Ansu scored the only goal of the game with his first touch after coming on as a second-half substitute.

And Setchell said: “It’s frustrating because I’ve got a group of players who are giving me everything they have got.

“Unfortunately, to be at the top end of this division, we are falling a bit short in certain areas.

“That’s not me being negative, that’s me being truthful.

“I said to the boys in there, Corby Town is a massive club and I am privileged to be the manager and they should be privileged to play for it.

“You saw the fans we had there, it’s a club with huge legs and when players leave this club, they will do well to find one as big as it so they should be doing everything they can between now and the end of the season to make sure they are here next year for the journey.

“Results like today and last week just whet my appetite to do well here, which I will - make no mistake about that.

“But it’s really tough at the minute. The players are giving it everything but we’re just falling a bit short.

“We never really got a foothold in the game and Harborough, without hurting us too much because the back four or five played really well, dominated the game.”

Setchell, meanwhile, accused referee Martyn Gospel of playing “with his handbrake on”.

The Corby boss was adamant that Harborough’s Dan Cooper should have been sent-off for a high challenge on Kalern Thomas in the first half when the game was still goalless.

When asked about the incident, Setchell added: “It’s a red card, it’s not even a debatable one. It’s a red card.

“But when the referee is coming to your secretaries to ask that your manager isn’t animated on the touchline because he doesn’t want to incite trouble then maybe you look at his performance and a couple of decisions and ask whether he didn’t want to incite trouble.

“That was a clear red card and that’s not me being bitter and twisted because I thought Harborough had a clear penalty before half-time and maybe Matty Slinn could have been sent-off towards the end.

“I think the referee played with his handbrake on and that’s something he’s got to look at.”

The Steelmen are back in action at Steel Park on Wednesday night when they host Peterborough Sports in the semi-finals of the NFA Hillier Senior Cup.