Boss Austin excited as Harborough head to Spalding for big title clash

Harborough Town boss Mitch Austin was not happy with his team's performance in the draw with Corby (Picture: Phil Passingham)

Pitching-In Nothern Premier League Midlands Division leaders Bees will go into the clash with the second-placed Tulips with just a single point advantage having made a rare slip at the weekend in drawing 1-1 with Corby Town, while Spalding thrashed Rugby Town 5-1.

More than 800 people turned out for the derby date against the Steelmen at the Beehive, with Connor Kennedy’s 84th-minute strike securing a point for the hosts.

Harborough do still have a little bit of leeway as they also have a game in hand on Spalding, but they will be keen to get the win and open up a bit of a gap again ahead of the final eight matches of the campaign.

Action from Harborough Town's 1-1 Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division draw with Corby Town (Picture: Phil Passingham)

“Against Corby we haven’t performed like we should have done on a decent stage,” said Austin.

“But the journey has been unbelievable, there are still twists and turns to go, and I am just excited and everybody else should be.

“We are in a position that if somebody had said with nine games to go we would be here, and we would be drawing with Corby and we would be disappointed because we didn’t play up to par, I would have snapped their hand off.

“Somebody give me an opportunity to be competitive for a title, or the play in the play-offs, then any other manager in this league is taking that all day.

“So perspective is a big thing, and we can now look forward to another big one on Saturday.”

Looking back on the draw with the mid-table Steelmen, Austin told @HarbTownFC: “I think we definitely got away with one there.

"I thought we were massively below-par, and I thought Corby were properly at it.

“Yes, we had that chance at the end but they have had three or four great chances and Elliott Taylor has kept us in the game.

“It was a very un-Harborough like performance, but I think you have to give credit to the opposition, they did a sterling job.

“Football is all about how you apply yourself, and I think from minute one we looked a little bit off it.

“I said in the week not to underestimate Corby, I knew it was going to be tough and that was what it proved to be.”