Boss Austin calls for calm as Harborough Town close in on title glory
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Halesowen away is an extremely tough fixture."
Mitch Austin has warned his Harborough Town players they still have 'a job to finish' as they close in on the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central title, and automatic promotion.
After their 5-1 demolition of Banbury United on Easter Monday, the Bees go into the final three matches of the season sitting seven points clear of long-time challengers Spalding United.
That means they know that one more win means the championship is theirs, no matter what the Tulips do.
The first opportunity to wrap it up comes at fourth-placed Halesowen Town on Saturday (ko 3pm), and although Austin admits he is hoping to get the job done 'sooner rather than later', he is still not taking things for granted.
"I have been reflecting on it for a long time, and I have been wondering how to approach things with the lads over the past six to eight weeks," Austin told @HarbTownFC.
"In the past two to four have been very tough for me, to not be over-enthusiastic.
"I felt like I owed the players to be balanced, and then over the past weeks I have turned the screw and put the pressure on them.
"But let's not get ahead of ourselves, Halesowen away is an extremely tough fixture, and that leads us into Bishop's Stortford here and then Stamford away.
"If the football gods can look after us, the sooner the better then great, but there is still work to be done.
"We have a great group of men who are focused, and that is where they need to be right now.
"We have three big games, and I will be happy when the shield is in front of me, but we have a job to do, and a job to finish.
"We park Monday's win, we will relax this week before coming in on Thursday and we will see if we can do it at Halesowen on Saturday.
"I can promise the fans we will leave everything on the pitch, and if it's possible to do it then we will."
Were the Bees to lose at Halesowen on Saturday, they could still be confirmed as champions if Spalding lose their home date with Stratford Town.
If the Bees draw, and the Tulips drop points then the title will also be heading to the Bee Hive.