Keep calm and carry on is Glenn Botterill’s message to his Sileby Rangers players after their shock defeat to AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
Sileby slipped to only their second defeat of the league season, losing 1-0 to Diamonds at Fernie Fields on Tuesday night.
But Botterill’s boys still sit four points clear at the UCL Division One summit, thanks to 19 wins in 22 games.
And the manager, who steered Long Buckby to UCL Premier Division glory last season, is remaining calm ahead of Saturday’s trip to Potton United.
“There was no inquest, no ranting and raving on Tuesday night,” said Botterill. “We’ll regroup and it will be business as normal on Saturday.
“The title wasn’t going to be won or lost on Tuesday. Diamonds had to win and they did.
“It’s all about how we react now and I’m positive we’ll react well.”
Botterill has only suffered 18 defeats in his past 135 games as a manager, with this season’s successes following on from last season’s joy at Buckby.
During the campaign which saw the Station Road side beat big-hitters King’s Lynn to the UCL top tier title, Buckby suffered a minor blip losing 1-0 at home to Yaxley.
It could have seen their season unravel, but the Bucks put it behind them and pressed on in pursuit of glory, something Botterill wants his Sileby players to emulate.
“All Tuesday’s result has done is ensured we’ve not got a cushion to allow us to slip up again,” he said.
“The last time we lost in the league before that was in September and if we go the next 12 games without losing, we’ll win it.”
SPENCER
Millers boss Ben Stone has dismissed any thoughts of a top two finish - despite his side’s excellene 1-0 win against Bugbrooke on Tuesday night.
Paul Pickering’s late strike settled matters at Kingsthorpe Mill, but Stone, whose side are 17 points adrift of a promotion spot, with five games in hand, says the top six is the target.
“We’re definitely still rooting for the top six and that win on Tuesday has gone a long way to helping that,” said Stone, who takes his side to Rushden & Higham on Saturday.
“We’ve got no thoughts of the top two because there are a few sides stronger than us and we’re still a young squad.
“The amount of games we’ve got left will kill us in the end because we’ll be playing three times a week at the end of the season.”
Bugbrooke will be aiming to bounce back from the defeat to Spencer on Saturday when they go to Harrowby, while ON Chenecks, who drew 4-4 at Thrapston on Tuesday having lost 5-4 to Harrowby at the weekend, are at home to Eynesbury.
LONG BUCKBY
Long Buckby boss Scott Goodwin believes Huntingdon Town will expect three points when they head to Station Road this weekend. But Goodwin says his players will relish their underdogs tag and he is confident they can avenge their recent 4-0 defeat against Saturday’s opponents. The Bucks put in a below-par performance at Jubilee Park on February 2, as Huntingdon claimed a resounding win. And Goodwin feels the sixth-placed side, who are on a six-match unbeaten run in the UCL Premier Division, will be full of belief ahead of the reverse fixture. “We played them a few weeks ago and we really weren’t at our best,” he said. “They’ll look at our game as a definite three points, but we don’t want to go and get beaten 4-0 again. “They are going to come with their chests puffed out so we’ll have to start sharp, but it’s a massive test.” Elsewhere in the UCL Premier Division on Saturday, Cogenhoe United host Blackstones.
Fixtures
Saturday, March 2
Premier Division
AFC Kempston v Desborough, Cogenhoe v Blackstones, Harborough v Boston, Holbeach v Deeping, Long Buckby v Huntingdon, Quorn v Yaxley, Shepshed Dynamo v Peterborough Northern Star, Spalding v Newport Pagnell, St Ives v Irchester, S&L Corby v Wellingborough Town.
Division One
Burton Park Wanderers v Raunds, Harrowby v Bugbrooke St Michaels, ON Chenecks v Eynesbury, Oadby v Buckingham, Potton v Sileby Rangers, Rothwell Corinthians v Whitworth, Rushden & Higham v Northampton Spencer, Thrapston v AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Wootton Blue Cross v Bourne.
Reserve League Cup
Huntingdon v Olney.
Reserve Division One
Blackstones v AFC Kempston Rovers, Bugbrooke St Michaels v Woodford, Harborough v S&L Corby, Peterborough Northern Star v Thrapston, Whitworth v Desborough.
Reserve Division Two
Eynesbury v Rushden & Higham, Irchester v Oadby, Raunds v Rothwell Corinthians, Yaxley v Bourne.
NFA Lower Junior Cup
Semi-final: ON Chenecks Reserves v Ringstead Rangers Reserves.
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