Daventry Town have completed the signing of Connor Deards on loan from Redditch Town, and the striker is expected to play at Beaconsfield on Saturday.
Town were 1-0 winners at Fleet Town last weekend, a result that has enhanced their bid to reach the Southern League Division One Central play-off places.
They are now five points off seventh-placed Guildford but have two games in hand, and manager Darran Foster is confident the arrival of Deards will increase the club’s chances of being involved in the promotion picture.
“He’s a pacy player and he’s got a little bit of trickery about him as well,” said Foster. “He’ll be our box man.
“He can make goals from nothing and I’m really pleased to have brought him in.”
Foster was quick to praise his team’s defensive performance in the win at Fleet but has been in the market for a centre-forward for some time.
The club brought in Ashley Robinson a year ago and have former Northampton Town trainee Scott Cross on the books but the manager wanted to bring in a player capable of finishing off the numerous chances his side is creating.
“We have needed some firepower,” said Foster, whose team follow the game against Beaconsfield with the Boxing Day derby against rock bottom Woodford United at Communications Park.
“You look at the game at Fleet Town and it was really pleasing to win there but our goal came from Kyle Cartwright, who’s a centre-back.
“We signed Ash Robinson and he gives us a different dimension in attack but he’s really more of a target man, and Scott Cross started the season really well but is more of a workmanlike striker.
“So it was important to sign someone. We’re creating lots of chances and not taking them and that’s always risky because other teams will always push you and they don’t need many chances to score.”
Foster will be hoping Deards can help Daventry deliver in the next couple of games and the boss said: “If we want to get in the play-offs we have to win games like the one this Saturday,” said Foster.
“Beaconsfield beat us in the first game of the season but they are a big, physical side and playing teams like that tends to suit us.”
BRACKLEY TOWN
Brady blames Turley for Altrincham defeat
Brackley boss Jon Brady says goalkeeper Billy Turley completely let his side down last weekend.
And he admits he is now ready to hand second-choice stopper Laurie Walker a chance to make the No.1 shirt his own at St James’ Park.
Turley’s error against Altrincham last weekend cost Brackley valuable points in their quest for Blue Square Bet North promotion.
The Greater Manchester outfit earned a smash and grab 1-0 win after the Saints’ goalkeeper dallied on the ball allowing Damian Reeves to score his 19th goal of the season.
And Brady was not impressed by Turley’s antics during the defeat.
“We destroyed them and the goalkeeper has completely let us down,” said the Saints supremo.
“The error he made you learn (not to do) at Under-6 level.
“He tried to usher the ball out and pretended it was out of play after they had scored.
“Fortunately he’s suspended this weekend, which makes the decision easier for me.”
Tha t decision sees former Kettering Town man Walker come into the side for this weekend’s game at Hinckley.
The game may not go ahead as the home side were forced to postpone their game on Tuesday due to a lack of players, but if it does Walker will get his chance.
“We’ll see if Laurie’s up to it,” said Brady. “If he does well he’s got the chance to cement the No.1 spot.”
WOODFORD UNITED
Boss Harris ready for United’s ‘cup final’
Woodford United joint first-team manager Pete Harris says Saturday’s game against fellow strugglers North Greenford United is ‘like a cup final for us’.
Woodford have failed to claim a single point in the Southern League Division One Central so far this season, losing all 18 of their games with a goal difference of minus 55.
But they are still in with a chance of survival thanks solely to the poor form of North Greenford, who have only amassed four points from 17 games and have a goal difference of minus 28.
It’s certainly a battle of the division’s have-nots at Byfield Road on Saturday and Harris, who runs the Reds along with Paul Oddy, is desperate for a positive result to boost morale.
“It’s like a cup final for us,” said Harris. “If the lads haven’t got the incentive to win this game they shouldn’t be playing.
“Hopefully we can get something out of it and I do still see some light at the end of the tunnel.”
Despite the club’s troubles on and off the pitch, Harris says he and co-boss Oddy are not worried by the size of the task they have on their hands.
And he is just desperate to pick up a point in a bid to get the ball rolling for the rest of the campaign.
“It doesn’t faze me or Paul at this level,” said Harris, who had enjoyed success with Woodford’s youth team. “Football’s football whatever level you play at.
“We just need to nick a point here and there because that would really help. It’s going to come where we nick a point and then we’ll all be much happier.”
CORBY TOWN
Hughes happy to stay on at Steelmen
Liam Hughes says he is “amazed” at how well he has fitted in at Corby Town.
And the striker insists he would “love” to stay with the Steelmen for an extended loan spell.
The young frontman’s current deal on loan from Cambridge United runs out after Saturday’s Blue Square Bet North home clash with Solihull Moors.
But Hughes is hoping he can stay with the Steelmen for the festive fixtures and into the new year after a successful month that has brought with it some key goals, including the dramatic equaliser against Tamworth in the FA Carlsberg Trophy last weekend.
“I am amazed at how well I have fitted in,” Hughes said.
“The lads have welcomed me with open arms and so have the management and the staff.
“It is a great football club and I would love to stay here for longer. It just shows that when you are enjoying your game, you score goals and get good results.
“Hopefully the loan can be extended but if Cambridge want me back then I will go there and perform as well as I can.
“But if you ask any footballer the question of what they favour doing, then the answer will always be to play 90 minutes every week regardless of where it is.
“We will look at the Solihull game and do all we can to get a good result and then see what happens.”
Meanwhile, Steelmen boss Chris Plummer says the Christmas schedule is ‘a good chance to make a serious move’.
The Steelmen face Solihull Moors, Boston United (twice) and FC Halifax in the space of 11 days over the festive period and boss Plummer has his sights set on a decent points haul.
He said: “There are 12 points up for grabs and the opportunity is there for us to do something.
“With the way we’ve been going recently we’ve got to be confident whoever we’re up against.”
And Plummer feels that the fitness of his charges will be a key factor in any potential success.
He added: “It’s quite busy, as it is for everyone, and we’ve only got a small squad so if we can keep them fit then that would be a massive plus.
“I want that lads to enjoy their Christmas but make sure that they look after themselves and are ready for some hard games.”
KETTERING TOWN
Doyle tells relieved Poppies ‘don’t get carried away’
Alan Doyle has urged his Kettering Town squad not to get too carried away following their long-awaited first league win of the season.
The young Poppies team head to Gosport Borough on Saturday having put an end to the club’s worst start to a league campaign since 1891 with a 3-1 victory over Chesham United at Corby Town’s Steel Park last weekend.
It was a coming of age for Doyle’s youngsters, who were boosted by a couple of experienced heads in the form of the returning Pat Noubissie and central defender Henry Eze, although they missed out on the chance to follow it up as the clash at AFC Totton on Tuesday was called off due to a frozen pitch.
Kettering had suffered six successive defeats since returning to action following a month without playing due to the severe financial problems the club suffered during October.
And, despite the weekend success, they still remain certainties for relegation as they are a massive 21 points adrift of safety at the foot of the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division.
But Doyle has gradually thrown together a more competitive squad, despite the Poppies only being able to cover players’ expenses while some continue to play for nothing at all.
And, even though that first win was most welcome, Doyle has urged his players not to get carried away.
“I don’t think there is any doubt that we are looking forward to the games a bit more now,” the Kettering manager said.
“I certainly slept a bit easier on Sunday night after the performance the lads put in.
“But it is vital that they keep their feet on the ground.
“It would be all-too easy to get carried away after getting that first win.
“What we have to do now is try to follow it up.
“But the one thing winning matches does do is give you confidence and I think it was a welcome boost for the staff, the volunteers, the fans and the players. We all needed that.
“We will go to Gosport with a bit of a spring in our step now and that is a very good thing.”
The Poppies are set to include defender Chris Logan in their squad after he joined from UCL Premier Division side Desborough Town.
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