Brackley Town boss Jon Brady is adamant his team have achieved nothing yet, after seeing them secure a play-off place on Tuesday night.
The Saints suffered a 3-1 defeat to Blue Square Bet North strugglers Colwyn Bay, but Harrogate’s defeat to Solihull Moors ensured Brady’s bunch had booked their place in the end-of-season shoot-out.
It is the culmination of a huge push from Brackley in their first season in step two and they will now aim to go all the way and claim a place in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
And while he is pleased to have guaranteed a top-five finish, Brady is eager to avoid celebrating too early.
“It’s good but we’ve really achieved nothing yet,” said the Saints manager.
“It’s good to be up there, but all it’s really done is shortened our odds of promotion.
“We’ve now got a one in four chance of going up and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
Third-placed Brackley now have two games remaining, starting at home to Worcester on Saturday, before the play-offs start on April 30, with FC Halifax Town looking like their most likely opponents.
DAVENTRY TOWN
Daventry Town boss Darran Foster was full of pride at his team’s performance in reaching the NFA Hillier Senior Cup Final at Sixfields.
But he admitted that Corby Town’s extra class told as Daventry were beaten 3-1 at the home of Northampton Town on Tuesday night.
Daventry started the game the better of the two sides, and dominated proceedings for the opening 30 minutes, with Corby’s former Cobblers goalkeeper Paul Walker forced into good saves from Ashley Robinson and Nat Liburd.
But it was Corby who led at half-time thanks to an individual effort from Josh Moreman.
Daventry made a stirring start to the second half and Walker had already been forced into another excellent stop from Liburd before they equalised on 52 minutes, Callum Burgess heading home Neil King’s pinpoint free-kick.
Daventry’s tails were up briefly, but it was Corby who gradually took control.
The Steelmen restored their lead when another ex-Cobblers man, Greg Kaziboni, showed blistering pace down the right wing to set up Ryan Semple for a simple finish, and then Paul Malone was allowed a free header from a corner to wrap things up eight minutes from time.
“For the first 20 minutes or so I thought we were very good, and we had three really good chances and we should have taken them,” said Foster.
“If you don’t take those chances against good teams then you will get punished for it, and Corby punished us.
“They have a lot of pace, hit us on the counter, and they killed us with the first and second goals, it was pure pace.
“We got ourselves back in the game at 1-1, it was a good goal, and their keeper has made two great saves and they made a big difference.
“But once they scored the second, we started to die in the last half-hour.
“They took control and we found it hard to come back from that.
“We huffed and puffed, but we didn’t have enough left in the tank. We have just played six games in 13 days and it was tough on the lads, especially against a team like Corby.”
But Foster wasn’t feeling down about the defeat, and said: “I am really proud, we have done well.
“We have beaten Brackley and Kettering in this competition, the league form’s been tremendous, we have only lose one of the last 15, and the lads have enjoyed it.
“Of course they are disappointed, but I am proud of them.
“It was a great occasion, we had a good following, and I wish we could get that at home!
“The fans will also be disappointed, but from what they were expecting at the start of the season, I think we’ve bounced back really well.”
Daventry play their final home game of the season on Saturday when they entertain Fleet at Communications Park (ko 3pm).
CORBY TOWN
Chris Plummer has urged his Corby Town side to ‘stay composed’ as their fight for survival in the Blue Square Bet North enters the final stages.
Relegation rivals Colwyn Bay claimed a 3-1 success at Brackley Town on Tuesday night while Corby were winning the NFA Hillier Senior Cup thanks to a 3-1 victory over Daventry Town at Sixfields.
It means the gap between the Steelmen and Colwyn was down to three points, with the Welsh side having two games in hand - the first of which was due to be played last night (Thurs).
Histon and Bishop’s Stortford also remain in the mix for the drop and Plummer knows his team must get back to winning ways against Gloucester City at Cheltenham Town’s Whaddon Road ground on Saturday.
But while the fight for survival reaches the critical stage, the Corby boss has urged his players to stay calm.
“There will still be more twists and turns and there is a lot of pressure on everyone,” Plummer said.
“There are four teams all fighting for our lives. We have to stay composed and have a calmness about us. But there is no doubt we need those points.
“We are looking for two wins from our last two games. But if we don’t get the win on Saturday then we can’t think that is the end of it because it won’t be.
“I said a while ago that it would be going to the last day and I think it will.
“We just have to concentrate on getting two wins.”
The Steelmen go into the weekend on the back of three successive defeats, but Plummer remains confident about his team’s chances of beating the drop.
He added: “We have got the quality in the dressing-room because we have shown it on plenty of occasions this season.
“We need to stay calm and that is sometimes easier said than done. We have to stay positive and believe we can do it.
“I believe we can do it, it has been a real rollercoaster of a season but I still see Corby Town in the Conference North next season.”
KETTERING TOWN
Lawrie Dudfield has confirmed he has applied for the first-team manager’s job at Kettering Town.
The former Corby Town, Leicester City, Hull City and Northampton Town striker started his career with the Poppies – his hometown club – and is now the community operations manager at npower Championship club Nottingham Forest.
Information received suggests Dudfield was one of 20-plus people who have applied for the job after it was advertised by the club in the wake of their relegation from the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division.
The closing date for applications was Wednesday.
And, when contacted, the 32-year-old confirmed that was the case.
Dudfield, who came through the ranks at Kettering to play for the first team before joining the Foxes, said: “Kettering is where it all started for me and it is horrible to see where they are now.
“I like to think I am a young and dynamic person and I want to see the club get back to where it should be.
“If I can be part of that then great, I would love to be involved.
“I have had management experience at Quorn already and sometimes jobs come up that just look and feel right.
“Kettering are not in the best of positions at the moment but I still remember stepping out against Kidderminster Harriers in front of 2,700 people. Those are the days the club wants back.”
Dudfield is the second applicant to confirm his interest with current boss Thomas Baillie and his assistant Dean Thomas already confirming they have applied as a management team.
The Poppies, who are likely to be playing in the Southern League Division One Central next season, are hoping to relocate to Latimer Park in Burton Latimer during next season but look set to start the new campaign still groundsharing with Corby Town at Steel Park.