Boss Ben Stone believes life in UCL Division One has rejuvenated Spencer.
The Millers took voluntary demotion from the UCL top tier at the end of last season and have so far enjoyed a successful season in their new surroundings.
Tuesday night’s 2-0 victory against Olney Town was Spencer’s ninth in 15 league games this season.
And Stone, who took over from Andy Peaks at Kingsthorpe Mill last summer, says there is a feelgood factor around the club at the moment.
“Most people will be really happy with how things are going,” said the manager.
“The weather hasn’t helped us in that it’s flooded us three times this season, but on the footballing side things are good.
“Positive steps have been made and the chairman (Graham Wrighting) is very enthusiastic. There’s a good feeling about the club.
“It was a step back to come out of the premier division, but it has rejuvenated the club. Now we’re looking to take it forward.”
Stone has set his sights on a top six finish in division one this season, and his men are looking good to achieve it.
Spencer currently sit seventh in the standings, with games in hand over all the sides above them, bar Bugbrooke St Michael’s, who have played one less on 14.
Stone said: “We’ve got 15 home games to play and we’re unbeaten there, so we want to maintain that.
“It’s a big ask as we’ve got a lot of the top sides to play but if we can keep playing well at the Mill, the results will take care of themselves.
“The top six has got to be our aim this season and if we finish below that, we’ll think we’ve underachieved.”
Spencer head to Potton United this weekend, hoping to claim a second win in the space of five days.
And Stone says his side must secure three points if they are to live up to their own expectations.
“It will be a difficult game, going to Potton,” he said.
“The lads will be quite tired but it’s a game that, if we’ve got any visions of finishing in the top six, we’ve got to win.”
Spencer will have just one absentee for the trip to The Hollow, with Jake Stone missing out due to an ankle injury.
Elsewhere, in division one, table-toppers Sileby Rangers, who claimed a superb 1-0 win at title rivals Oadby Town last weekend, travel to Rothwell Corinthians on Saturday.
COGENHOE UNITED
Andy’s eager to return home
Andy Marks admits it will be nice to be back at home when Cogenhoe United host Newport Pagnell Town on Saturday. The Cooks have have played five of their past six UCL Premier Division games away from Compton Park, including the past three. But they will be back on their own turf this weekend, against a Pagnell team them beat 3-1 in the reverse fixture back on December 8. And boss Marks can’t wait to sample home comforts again. “It will be a tough game because it was very even when we played over there,” he said. “We took our chances, they didn’t. “We’ve had a tough run recently and we’ll try to take something from this game. “Being at home will be nice because we’ve had a few games away recently. We’re strong at home and hopefully we can string a few results together there.”
Cogenhoe are also celebrating the fact that the club’s reserve team has reached the final of the NFA Junior Cup.
The Cooks’ second string needed extra-time to see off Combination side Brixworth All Saints in the semi-final last weekend.
United were leading 1-0 going into the closing stages of full-time, before Brixworth levelled with a late penalty.
That setback could have really upset the young Cogenhoe side, but they responded superbly to score three times in the extra half-hour.
They will now meet UCL Division One side Rushden & Higham in the showpiece final, the Russians seeing off Rothwell Corinthians 2-0 in the other semi.
LONG BUCKBY
Goodwin expecting Blackstones to ‘park the bus’
Long Buckby boss Scott Goodwin believes Blackstones will ‘park the bus’ at Station Road on Saturday.
Buckby go into the game in desperate need of three points after extending their winless streak to six games with a 4-0 humbling at Huntingdon Town last weekend.
They will fancy their chances against a Blackstones outfit who have won just eight of their 28 games in the UCL Premier Division this season.
And Goodwin feels this weekend’s opposition will take a cautious approach to the clash, despite the fact they beat the Bucks 2-1 in the reverse fixture on January 12.
“We know they’re going to come and press high to stop us from playing,” he said. “They’ll park the bus in front of the goal and if they get a point they’ll be delighted.
“If they can nick a goal on the counter-attack they’ll be happy and we’re expecting a very defensive display from them.
“We’ve got to be clever and once the gaps appear we’ve got to take our chances.”
Goodwin will be hoping for a big improvement from last weekend’s outing at Huntingdon, when he felt like he was ‘managing a youth team’.
“We deserved everything we got in all honesty,” he said.
“We were second to everything and for the first time ever I thought I was managing a youth team.
“They were an experienced side and they do the ugly things right. They were comfortable.
“In terms of quality, we’re head and shoulders above a lot of teams, but when it comes to the nitty gritty we’re nowhere near to be honest.”
Goodwin decided to let go of assistants Joe Smyth and Dave Williams prior to last Saturday’s game, but he has moved to add Bugbrooke St Michaels reserve team boss Dan Ainsworth to his coaching staff.
And former Burton and Deeping goalkeeper Shaun Allen has also been brought in to assist with coaching as well as provide back-up to first-choice stopper Dan Farrell.
“It’s a fresh page in terms of the management staff,” said Goodwin.
“Dan has got good ideas and he knows a lot of players and Shaun brings experience.”
Fixtures
Saturday, February 9
Premier Division: AFC Kempston v St Ives, Boston Town v Peterborough Northern Star, Cogenhoe v Newport Pagnell, Deeping v Stewarts & Lloyds, Desborough v Huntingdon, Harborough v Yaxley, Holbeach v Quorn, Irchester v Shepshed Dynamo, Long Buckby v Blackstones, Wellingborough Town v Sleaford.
Division One: Bourne v Raunds, Buckingham v Olney, Bugbrooke v Whitworth, Oadby v Burton Park Wanderers, ON Chenecks v AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Potton v Northampton Spencer, Rothwell Corinthians v Sileby, Rushden & Higham v Wootton Blue Cross, Thrapston v Eynesbury.
Reserve Supplementary Cup, group two: Raunds v Irchester. Group three: Yaxley v Blackstones. Group four: Burton Park Wanderers v Desborough.
Reserve Division One: Huntingdon v Harborough, Peterborough Northern Star v Bugbrooke, Stewarts & Lloyds v AFC Kempston, Whitworth v Cogenhoe, Woodford United v Thrapston.
Reserve Division Two: Eynesbury v Rothwell Corinthians, Olney v Rushden & Higham.
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