Buoyant Bees can play Rugby with confidence

Stuart Spencer believes Harborough Town can go in to a couple of tough Future Lions United Counties League Premier Division ties with renewed confidence following a good spell of form.
Stuart SpencerStuart Spencer
Stuart Spencer

Just a couple of weeks ago the Bees boss told his players they ‘have to know what’s acceptable and what is not’ following a period of sub-standard performances.

However, since then they have won three out of three – including two clean sheets, taken the double over local rivals Desborough Town and come out on top in a 5-4 thriller against Leicester Nirvana.

It puts everything into a better perspective ahead of tough games against third-placed Rugby Town and sixth-placed Eynesbury Rovers – although Spencer is not getting ahead of himself.

“We’re on a mini-winning run at the moment which is good,” he said.

“It perks everyone up and makes the place a better one to be at.

“But we’ve won a few games – that’s great. Now we need to make sure it doesn’t go back the other way.

“We’ve got Rugby and Eynesbury to come in the next two games and they will both be big tests.

“Rugby might play at our level but they are definitely a Step 4 club.

“They’ve got a big ground, good support, they are well resourced.

“But we’re not fazed by going there.

“If we had been doing so on the back of four defeats, we might be feeling different.

“But we can go there on the back of three wins and take some confidence with us.

“It will be a good test of whether we are learning.

“We had a tough spell and have come out of it a bit but we’re not getting carried

away.

“We’ve got three wins – nine good points – but we now need to kick on again and show we want to improve and climb up the table.”

The latest three wins have lifted Harborough up to 11th in the table – remarkably the exact position they have finished in each of the last three seasons.

But, having got there, Spencer now wants more from his players.

“The wins we have had have moved us into mid-table and it gives us the chance to still attack the top eight,” he continued.

“I wouldn’t be satisfied with things if we were to finish where we are now.

“It’s been a season full of change, we’ve recovered from a poor start and now we’re in a stable position in the league.

“We can now set our own agenda for the rest of the season.

“We have nothing to worry about underneath us so I want us to give the rest of the season a positive spin and kick on again so we can take that momentum into the summer.”

The big weekend in Division One did not pan out as expected when Lutterworth Town’s clash with Sileby Rangers was postponed – as was the first-versus-third encounter between Anstey Nomads and Melton Town.

Lutterworth Athletic did go ahead with their trip to Birstall United and returned with a 3-1 win thanks to goals from Jack Sutherland (2) and Alex Rhodes.

Athletic could do their town rivals a favour this weekend if they can repeat that performance against Anstey.

For their part, second-placed Town head to strugglers Burton Park Wanderers.