Corby Town 1-2 The Mikes

A cold, blustery wind made football difficult throughout. The Mikes started on the offensive (two corners, two wild efforts over the bar), and then it was pinball time at the other end as the hosts counter attacked. A quarter of an hour in, a roar went up from the crowd (nearly 500 in number) for handball, duly given twenty yards out. It cannoned off the wall, safely into Callum Smith’s custody. Five minutes later, another free kick just outside the Boldmere box ended with the ball hammered way over the framework. Twenty minutes in, the Steelmen were finding their rhythm, and for the rest of the half applied most of the pressure, Boldmere being reliant on long ball breakaways. Past the game’s quarter mark, Kai Knight downed the advancing Ben Isaacson on the edge of the box (inside the box?) The ever observant Brian reckoned that Isaacson was offside; elbowed Knight in the face; and was outside the area when revenge was exacted. Anyway, Knight got a yellow card, and the free kick came to nothing. Soon, we nearly had a classic Owen Parry goal at the other end, as he appeared from nowhere, just missing a curling Harry Sweeney pass. On the half hour, things turned against the Mikes. Making a desperate lunge to recover a sloppy pass, Knight caught his opponent, got a second yellow card - and Boldmere were down to ten men. Harry Sweeney fell back into defence, to cover the resultant vacancy. The vocal home crowd had little sympathy with anyone taking their time, or not banging the leather forwards - cries of “Get on with it!” greeting any such hesitation. Half time, 0-0, with Corby looking the team more likely. Disappointment from the visiting contingent during the break: they all came close to winning over £200 on Corby’s 50-50, Sue in the tea bar snaffling the winning ticket.

The Mikes’ offside trap was obstructing Corby’s progress; but eventually, the rearguard gifted their hosts the lead. An uncharacteristically poor Harry Craven back pass was seized on by Toby Hilliard, and with half an hour to go, the Mikes were behind. Was this going to be the Steelmen’s first home win this season? They’ve won seven and lost two on the road; and drawn three and lost six at home: strange record! By this time, however, we’d had what was, perhaps, the game’s turning point. Parry had latched on to a through pass, and shot for goal. It would have gone in, had not home keeper Dan Wallis made a fine one handed save. Only problem: he was fifteen yards outside his penalty area! A second red card made it ten men each. The Mikes made a double substitution - and with his first touch of the ball, O’Shane Stewart equalised. Firing into a crowded box from twenty yards, a deflection headed netwards. Within five minutes, the Mikes were ahead. Substitute Andre Brown chased a ball right to the goal line, and sent in a first time centre. Johnny Johnston met it at the far post; and Parry squeezed it home from close in. The raucous Steel Park faithful (triumphant once they’d taken the lead) were now subdued, as the visitors were increasingly content to play the ball around, or develop a fascination for corner flags. With the clock running down, Smith fisted a Joe Butterworth flyer over the bar. The Mikes were looking slick on the break, but their finishing failed to trouble replacement keeper Danny Gordon. As we headed for added time, Dylan Edge really should have grabbed the equaliser - but he shot over from a golden position. The crowd were starting to drift home as Smith caught a long free kick, right under his bar - and that was it. Steel Park awaits its first home win this season.

Corby Town: Dan Wallis; Kadern Thomas; Ben Isaacson; Ollie Rose; Callum Milne; Jack Keeble (Tristan Thompson-Matthews, 45); Connor Tomlinson; Joe Butterworth; Toby Hilliard; Jordan O’Brien (Danny Gordon, 56); Matthew Slinn (Dylan Edge, 45).
Subs. not used: Ryan Martindale; Michael Jacklin.

Boldmere St Michaels: Callum Smith; Lewis Allison; Kai Knight; Joe Hull; Harry Craven; Jack Byrne; Callum Ballinger (Andre Brown, 69); Callum Gittings (O’Shane Stewart, 69); Owen Parry; Johnny Johnston (Ben Usher-Shipway, 90); Harry Sweeney.
Subs. not used: Ross Evans; Tazivaishe Chibaya.