Many Games Have I Seen...: Corby Town 4 v 0 St Neots Town

Saturday 15th April 2023, Kick-off 15.00
Northern Premier League Division One Midlands
Steel Park, Corby

Admission: £10.00

Programme: £2.00

Attendance: 665

With this being my last Saturday available for groundhopping during the regular season in the National League System, as Charlton are at home on each of the next two Saturdays, I decided to venture further beyond my usual radar today. And having chanced upon finding a relatively cheap Advance rail fare to Corby earlier in the week, and having always been quite intrigued to visit "Little Scotland", I booked my tickets and looked forward to a week without the indecisiveness which usually affects me in the lead up to a groundhopping Saturday.

Steel Park is about a 45 minute walk from north-westwards from Corby train station, located at the far outskirts of town, although en route I meandered through the town centre and a Wetherspoons five minutes walk from the ground for lunch. The football ground, which is surprisingly not signposted at all from the passing road, is accessed down a short lane, and is part of quite a large sporting complex, opposite a tennis club and nestled tightly between a rugby club and an athletics stadium, which is where Corby used to play before moving next door, and where Weldon United, of the Northants Combination League, still play - indeed, they were playing one of their fixtures there today. The ground itself is accessed via a dedicated turnstile block, with programmes and raffle tickets available just the other side. Opened in 2011, facilities are quite modern and impressive, if a little limited. Straddling the half way line on one side, there is quite a narrow all-seater stand, with a capacity of just over 500 across 12 rows, and features an interesting roof which curves upwards to the front. Behind the goal opposite the entrance is a large covered terrace stretching between corner flags, while there is standing room only along the remaining length and end. One of those lengths has the back of the athletics stand lining the perimeter, while behind the end is the large clubhouse building, which has a large but windowless bar area, with more of a nightclub feel to it - which is exactly what it is outside of football matchdays. Hot and cold food and drink is available from a pitch facing hatch in this building, and a separate tea bar is housed in a wooden hut positioned next to the all-seater stand.

Realistically, there was not much riding on this game, with just a week of the regular season left to play. Corby can mathematically still make the play-offs, but are six points and four places adrift with just three games left to play - which is one more than most clubs above them. Things were looking good for them to reach the play-offs, with a run of six wins between mid February and mid March, but that has since been followed by picking up just a point from three games, most latterly a 0-4 home defeat to fellow play off contenders Chasetown to all but extinguish their chances. Overall, Corby have won 16 and drawn ten of their 35 league games. St Neots look destined for a relegation play-off, coming into this game in 18th place in the 20 club division, assured of avoiding the automatic relegation spots aside from a mathematical miracle, but cannot reach assured safety, again save for implausible set of circumstances. When the two clubs met back in late November, St Neots won 2-0.

On a mild and mostly sunny afternoon, the game started off quite evenly, but gradually Corby gained control, posing an ever increasing threat on goal. On 16 minutes, Jordan O'Brien struck a powerful shot which came back off the crossbar, and four minutes later, Danny Gordon drilled a free kick low just oast thr right hand post. But within a minute, they did take the lead with a very good goal, a passing move from their own half ending with the ball being laid off for O'Brien to strike the ball home from 8 yards out. St Neots did create a chance on 38 minutes, when Trey Charles forced the keeper to parry the ball wide.

Only one goal behind at the break, St Neots started the second half quite well, forcing the keeper into another good save, and a shot from the resultant corner went just over. But the game turned decisively in the home side's favour around the hour mark with two quick fire goals. First, on 58 minutes, a corner was headed high upwards, and as the ball dropped, Danny Gordon volleyed the ball powerfully into the net from the edge of the area. And on 61 minutes, the home side opened up a three goal lead, when a free kick was deflected into the path of Michael Jacklin, who guided the ball past the keeper. To their credit, St Neots kept battling away, and Joe Rider forced another good save from the Corby keeper in the 70th minute. But in added on time, Corby added their fourth following a sprint from the half way line by O'Brien ended with the ball being drilled low into the bottom left corner.

No doubt that Corby deserved the win, but the four goal margin seemed a little harsh on the visitors, who have one more league game left before a relegation play-off tie against a Step 5 club, as they are guaranteed an 18th place finish. Today's result keeps Corby's faint hopes of making the play-offs - they remain in ninth place, but if they win their game in hand against already relegated Daventry Town in midweek, they will head into the final day of the regular season next Saturday two points adrift of the play-offs, and as well as needing to win their game against Boldmere St Michaels, will also need to hope that Coleshill Town, Harborough Town and Chasetown all lose. Mention should be made of an excellent attendance today, after a chastening defeat in the last home game and realistically little left to play for this season, and a very good atmosphere was generated.