Chris Plummer wants the Corby Town supporters to roar their team to Blue Square Bet North safety on Saturday, writes JON DUNHAM.
The battle for survival has come down to the last 90 minutes of the season with the Steelmen heading into their final game with Gainsborough Trinity at Steel Park in the final relegation place as just one goal separates them from Histon, who sit just above the dreaded drop zone.
The Stutes travel to Bradford Park Avenue for their final game, and it will be a case of calculators at the ready with any number of outcomes still possible as the final relegation spot could even be decided by goals scored as well as goal difference and points.
But Corby manager Plummer insists the main job for his team is to beat Gainsborough and hope it is enough.
The Steelmen have made the game free entry for fans with donations being welcomed that will be given directly to Lakelands Hospice.
And Plummer is hoping a packed house and a positive atmosphere will make the difference as Corby look to save their skin.
“It is a fantastic gesture by the club to allow supporters in for free,” he said.
“The more people we can get in, the better it will be for us. We need the supporters to make it as hostile as possible for Gainsborough and to get behind our lads from the off.
“We have a job to do and the fans can play a huge part in it.
“There are various possible outcomes but ultimately either us or Histon are going to be devastated.
“First and foremost, our focus is on trying to win the game. It will be tough because Gainsborough have been in the upper reaches all season, they are a decent side.
“But I have all the belief in the world in our players.
“They are a young bunch and they will be ready for it. I know they are capable of winning.”
And the Steelmen are set for a further boost with the news that top scorer Josh Moreman is likely to be fit for the clash, having suffered a hamstring injury in the NFA Hillier Senior Cup success over Daventry Town.
He missed last weekend’s 1-0 win at Gloucester City but Plummer said: “It is a strange one because we didn’t think he would be ready.
“But he took part in full training on Monday and he looked sharp. It is looking like he will be available.
“People forget Josh is only 21 and this season has been a learning curve.
“He has had some great highs and some low points. But he can score goals and, in this sort of game, he could make a big difference.”
BRACKLEY TOWN
Jon Brady says Brackley will need two great showings if they are to make it to the Blue Square Bet North play-off final.
The Saints have secured third place in the standings ahead of their final-day trip to Boston United on Saturday.
It means they will take on either Altrincham, who are in the driving seat to claim fourth spot, or FC Halifax Town, in the play-off semi-finals.
The first leg will be away on Tuesday (April 30), with the return game four days later at St James’ Park.
And Brady has called on his side to produce two massive performances as they bid to book their place in the May 12 showpiece.
“The players have earned the right to get here,” said the Saints boss. “Now it’s all about who performs best on each day.
“We’ve got to have two great games if we want to get to the final.”
But Brady has called into question the logic of making the side that finishes higher in the league travel away on a Tuesday night for the first leg.
With players at step two often part-time, they must take leave from work in order to play in an away midweek clash and Brady feels that’s wrong.
“It’s a bit of a funny one,” he said. “You earn the right to come third and you should get to choose which leg you play away.
“All the lads have to take a day off work and travel up the motorway on a Tuesday night.
“For them to travel to us on a Tuesday would be difficult and I think the Conference should review how it’s done.”
But Brackle may fancy their chances in the away leg of next week’s semis as they won 4-1 at Altrincham on the opening day of the season.
If it is to be Halifax, the Saints can go there in the knowledge they drew 0-0 at the Shay just last month.
And Brady, who went to watch Altrincham’s 2-0 home win against Halifax on Tuesday night, said: “We’ll take confidence from our performances against those sides.
“We know that on our day we can be better than them, but first and foremost we must focus on the game at Boston on Saturday.”
Brady will have the luxury of not needing to get a result at Boston, but he remains eager to get a positive result ahead of Tuesday night’s huge showdown.
“We’ll definitely play a team to win,” said Brady. “We want to keep our momentum, then we’ll see where we are. Hopefully we won’t get any injuries.”
KETTERING TOWN
Chairman Ritchie Jeune is hopeful Kettering Town will be able to resolve the latest blow to the club’s future after it was served with a winding up order by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
A statement on the club’s website confirmed Jeune was only contacted about the order by owner Imraan Ladak on Wednesday to notify him of the order, which was first presented on March 18.
The club have until 4pm today (Friday) to “give notice of its intention to oppose the petition” with the hearing due to take place in London on Monday.
Jeune confirmed the club will have a representative in the capital for the hearing and that an adjournment will be sought and, should that be the case, that all money owed “will be paid”.
And he also insisted the lateness of the notification was due to the club’s address not being changed.
The Poppies are currently based at Steel Park in Corby while the documentation about the winding up order was sent to Rockingham Road.
Jeune and his band of volunteers have been keeping the club alive since it almost went under in October and he is hoping to secure a takeover from Ladak this summer while also getting the club out of its long-term lease at Nene Park.
His plan for the future involves a move back into the borough at Burton Latimer while, on the pitch, Thomas Baillie’s relegated side head to Chesham United for their final Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division game on Saturday.
The club statement said: “Yesterday Ritchie Jeune was contacted by the club owner (Ladak), who indicated that Kettering Town F C Management Limited is facing a winding up order, issued by HM Revenue and Customs.
“This order was presented on March 18, 2013 and advertised in the London Gazette on April 17. The hearing is in London next Monday, April 29.
“For the last 24 hours the volunteers, who are trying to keep the club going, have been trying to investigate the extent of the winding up order, which, it seems, relates to monies due, assessed by HMRC, from the date of the CVA in June 2012.
“The Limited Company has until 4pm on Friday (tomorrow) to give notice of its intention to oppose the petition and before that can be done more information and the cooperation of the club owner will be urgently sought.”
When contacted, Jeune added: “All the documentation was sent to Rockingham Road, it is not as if Imraan has kept this from us.
“He only found out about it yesterday like we did. As volunteers, we have no power to change any addresses or anything like that.
“The order has been served and we have spoken with HMRC and also sent all the relevant documentation since we have been at Steel Park. We have explained the situation.
“The problem we have is with the time we have to deal with this but that is the club’s fault for not changing its address.
“As long as we have someone at the hearing on Monday, we are hopeful there will be an adjournment and then we will be able to provide HMRC with the information they need and will be able to pay the amount that is owed.”
DAVENTRY TOWN
Darran Foster wants his Daventry Town players to go out and enjoy their final-day game against Guildford City on Saturday.
Town travel to Surrey for the last game of their Southern League season, having narrowly missed out on a play-off place.
Foster’s side have claimed an impressive 76 points from their 41 league games, but will not make it into the top five due to the fine records of the current incumbents.
And with the pressure off, the manager wants his players to make the most of their final match of the season.
“We’re going to go and enjoy it,” said Foster. “We know it will be a hard game, but we just want to make it an enjoyable trip and an enjoyable last day of the season.
“We’ve done tremendously well and we’ve been on a really good run. The lads have never given up. They’ve stuck at it.”
WOODFORD UNITED
Woodford United have their final chance to claim their first point of a miserable season on Saturday - but they will have to do it at promotion-chasing Godalming.
The Reds have now lost all 41 Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central games they have played this season, after they were beaten 4-0 at second-from-bottom Leighton Town on Tuesday night.
Jon Inwood’s side were actually level at 0-0 until the 52nd minute, but once Leighton had gone ahead, the wheels came off.
That has been a familiar story for Woodford this season, who were also on the wrong end of a 5-0 defeat at Thatcham last Saturday.
Woodford will be hoping they can sign their season off with at least a point at Byfield Road, but Goldalming will be a tough nut to crack.
One possible chink of light for for Woodford is that Godalming are guaranteed third place, and could rest players ahead of their play-off semi-final next week. Kick-off is 3pm.