Jon Brady has called on Northants football fans to turn out in force and help Brackley book their place in the Blue Square Bet North play-off final.
Brady’s bunch play host to Altrincham on Saturday (ko 3pm), looking to overturn the 2-1 deficit suffered at Moss Lane on Tuesday night.
That game saw the Altrincham support create a cracking atmosphere, which spurred their side on to recover from going a goal down with 20 minutes to go.
Jefferson Louis’s superb header had put the Saints ahead, but Simon Richman and, deep into injury time, Jake Moult won it for the home side.
Brackley now need a big performance this weekend, and Brady has urged supporters of all Northants clubs to come and help his side claim a spot in the final.
“For me, what we’ve achieved this season in staying in the top three all year, wouldn’t it be great if the whole of Northamptonshire turned out and come to watch us play and see the talent we have on show,” he said.
“There’s not many teams doing well in the county at the moment.
“It’s fantastic to see Northampton doing well and us pushing towards the Conference, but it’s such a shame to see Kettering and Corby going down leagues this season, so why can’t Northamptonshire just get out and come to support us and give us everything they’ve got to make the 12th man on Saturday?”
Moult’s late strike was a real blow to Brackley as they had looked to have done enough to earn at least a draw.
They dominated the first 30 minutes of the play-off semi-final before riding their luck as Altrincham hit the woodwork four times. Brady was pleased with the application of his team and knows things are perfectly poised ahead of Saturday’s second leg.
“I thought we came out of the blocks really well, we penned them in the first 20 minutes and we didn’t give them a sniff. But we started to get a bit sloppy and gave away too many fouls in the first half,” he said.
“We rode our luck a little bit with them hitting the bar three times, but we also hit the post with Izak [Reid] and Eddie Odhiambo also had a good chance.
“In the second half we came out strongly again and Jefferson scored a great header, a fantastic header, and then as soon as we scored we sat back and allowed them to come onto us.
“I just think we gave the ball away too cheaply in midfield and we have to be better on the ball.
“But it’s still all to play for at 2-1, it’s finely poised.”
Brady was in upbeat mood after the game, knowing his team are a force to be reckoned with on their own turf.
And he is confident they can bounce back quickly as they look to tee up a final against either FC Halifax Town or Guiseley.
“You’ve got to take it on the chin, you can’t get your head down in a situation like this,” he said.
“It’s 2-1 and it’s finely poised, they’ve got to come to our place and we can be amazing at our place, and I look forward to us really taking the game to them.
“I don’t think them scoring a last-minute winner helps – I think 1-1 was a positive result but 2-1 is not such a negative. I think the boys will be hurt but there’ll be a bit of motivation there about a few things.
“I think at the end we didn’t do ourselves justice, for probably the last five or 10 minutes.
“All in all, it’s a positive result for us – although it’s a loss, there’s a lot to play for in the second leg.
“We’ve used the word ‘bounce-back-ability’ a few times this season and I think it will have to be on show on Saturday big time.”
DAVENTRY TOWN
Darran Foster is preparing to spend his summer searching for a striker than can take his Daventry Town team to the next level.
Town finished their Evo-Stik League Southern Division One Central campaign last Saturday, losing 2-0 at Guildford City.
Foster’s men racked up an impressive 76 points, though it wasn’t to be enough for a play-off place as they ended eighth, eight points adrift of the top five.
And the manager is now setting his sights on bringing in a few more players, especially a striker, who can fire his club to promotion next season.
“We’re going into the summer happy and if we can maintain the squad we’ll be happy,” said Foster. “We also know there are two or three positions we need to strengthen.
“We know not everything will come off but we’re going to be working really hard.
“We need a striker, without a doubt. If you look at the top five teams this season and they’ve all got strikers who have got 25 goals plus. We’ve got to go out there and find one, but it won’t be easy.”
CORBY TOWN
Paul Malone says he wants to stay at Corby Town and help them bounce back from their relegation at the first attempt, writes JON DUNHAM.
The Steelmen are facing up to life at a lower level after their 0-0 draw with Gainsborough Trinity in front of nearly 2,000 people at Steel Park last weekend was matched by Histon at Bradford Park Avenue.
The two goalless stalemates saw Chris Plummer’s side relegated by just one goal as they finished level on points with the Stutes.
Centre-back Malone, a Corby boy born and bred, has become something of a talisman for the club over the past year or two and he insists he wants to remain with the club and help right the wrongs from their doomed Blue Square Bet North campaign.
Plummer and his players are waiting to see what the future holds for them.
But Malone has made his position clear and he is also hoping his stance may inspire other footballers from the town to come in and also help the club in the future.
“My personal view is that I want to stay with Corby,” Malone said.
“This has probably hit me harder than anyone else because I live in the town and I am always out and about coaching.
“People are asking me questions and demanding answers and I can understand that.
“Our supporters are upset and they have every right to be.
“I enjoy playing for the club and it would be great if all this gave some of the other lads who play football here a kick up the backside and get them to come and play for their hometown club.
“I know there are enough talented players in the town to represent the club and I would love them to come and help instead of sitting back and laughing at what has happened.”
KETTERING TOWN
Ritchie Jeune wants all the issues surrounding Kettering Town resolved over the next two months or so.
The Poppies were given 56 days to settle the winding up petition placed on them by HM Revenue & Customs during a short hearing at London’s High Court on Monday – the case is due back on June 24.
And while ensuring that situation is resolved, Jeune, who has been leading the way since the Poppies hit financial meltdown in October last year, also believes the same time frame should be used to sort out the other key issues.
Jeune is seeking to complete a takeover from current owner Imraan Ladak while also getting the club out of their long-term lease at Nene Park. His long-term plan is to see the club playing back in the borough at Latimer Park in Burton Latimer.
Jeune, who is currently in Hong Kong on business, said: “It gives us something to aim for when it comes to everything concerned with the club.
“I am confident that, from HMRC’s point of view, it will all be sorted.
“But we will also be looking to deal with the ownership issue in that timescale as well.
“It would be good to get everything sorted and once I return, having a face-to-face meeting with Imraan will be very high on the agenda.”