Daventry Town boss Darran Foster admits he feels sorry for Woodford United’s young guns, writes JEREMY CASEY.
Foster takes his side into a derby clash with the Reds, who have lost every game they have played this season, on Monday afternoon.
Woodford sit bottom of Southern League Division One Central and are certainties for relegation, and Foster is expecting nothing short of three points from his team’s trip to Byfield Road.
But that doesn’t stop the Daventry manager having some sympathy for those in the opposition ranks.
“You have to feel sorry for Woodford to a degree, but they have had a name for pulling the budget every season,” said Foster.
“And I’m afraid this year they have come unstuck.
“Once they got rid of (former boss) Phil Mason they’d had it.”
And Foster says the people he really feels sorry for are the boys being asked to do a man’s job in a Reds shirt.
“It is a real shame, because what is happening now is just destroying young kids,” said Foster.
“I know people say ‘it’s good that young players get a chance, and it’s good to have a chance’, but it doesn’t do a kid any good going out and getting beaten 10-0 by Biggleswade.
“You go over their last 10 results, and I think they have had seven stuck by them twice, 10 once and five three times or something.
“If anybody tells me that it is good for 16-year-old to go through that, then I am sorry, I just can’t agree with them.
“It is a shame for them, but it’s not a surprise.”
Before the derby on Monday, Daventry hostUxbridge on Saturday, while Woodford go to Ashford Town.
BRACKLEY TOWN
Brackley Town boss Jon brady says confidence is high at St James’ Park ahead of a ‘great weekend’ of action, writes TOM VICKERS.
The Saints, who claimed a 1-0 win at Blue Square Bet North play-off rivals Gainsborough Trinity on Tuesday night, face two games in three days over the Easter weekend.
First up is a trip to Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday before a derby date with Corby Town at Brackley on Monday.
“It’s a great weekend to look forward to,” said Brady.
“Confidence is high but we’re mindful that we have to work as hard as we can and pull together.”
The Saints currently sit third in the league standings, with hopes of a play-off place boosted by Steve Diggin’s solitary strike at Gainsborough in midweek.
That game also saw a good performance from the versatile Elliot Sandy, who starred in a defensive midfield role in the absence of Brett Solkhon, who may not play again this season due to injury..
And Brady said: “Elliot adapted really well and he’s a very intelligent midfielder.
“He’s now got to kick on and be consistent.”
KETTERING TOWN
Kettering Town are set to kick-off next season at Corby Town’s Steel Park after their current ground share arrangement was extended, writes JON DUNHAM.
The deal has been done after Ritchie Jeune, who is leading a team of volunteers in an continued quest to give the Poppies a future, confirmed the Southern League had turned down a request for special dispensation to allow extra time to get their proposed new home in Burton Latimer up to the required standard.
The ground grading deadline runs out on Sunday so Jeune has moved quickly to extend the current arrangement with Steelmen chairman Kevin Ingram, although the Kettering man confirmed there will be a release clause that will enable the Poppies to move to Burton as and when they get the go ahead.
Jeune also confirmed he is in talks with both the landowner at Nene Park and majority shareholder Imraan Ladak about releasing the Poppies from their long-term lease at the Irthlingborough venue and completing a takeover of the club.
Both are situations he wants resolved soon after the current Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division campaign - which is certain to end in relegation - is over.
“The Southern League have come back to us and we haven’t been given the dispensation,” Jeune said. “We were hopeful it would be possible and clubs have been given it in the past, it is not unheard of.
“But that is the way it is. We have to accept it and move on.
“We had the conversation with Kevin at Corby and we are able to extend the current arrangement we have, for which we are grateful.
“It means the work will carry on at Latimer Park and we expect that to be completed on schedule, which will be in the middle of June.
“Then it will be a case of when the next ground grading can take place. But we will have a release clause in our deal with Corby that will enable us to move as and when the time comes.”
Ingram, meanwhile, insists the deal remains beneficial for both sides and agreeing an extension of the deal was an easy decision.
“We have had the conversation and it is not a new deal, it is merely an extension of the one we already have in place,” the Steelmen chairman added.
“The arrangement works well for both sides, Kettering are hiring the facilities just like anyone else would. They pay us a fee at the start of every month.
“They have made their payments on time without fail and there is no reason why we wouldn’t agree to extend the deal.”
CORBY TOWN
Injuries and illness are still causing a bit of a headache for Corby Town boss Chris Plummer.
The Steelmen head into the Easter weekend double-header with a number of concerns, most notably captain Jason Crowe, who was forced off during the 1-1 draw at Vauxhall Motors with a sore Achilles.
Midfielder Sam Ives is still struggling with a foot problem while Michael Bryan missed the game due to illness.
The one bit of good news for Plummer ahead of the weekend, however, is that striker Avelino Vieira is available again after completing a three-match ban.
The Steelmen boss said: “We are still having a few problems with injury and illness but you have to get on with it. We will give those lads as long as we possibly can to allow them to be fit for the weekend.
“But it is a boost to have Avelino back. We need to have everyone fit and available for the run-in with so many games coming in such a small space of time.”