Marks confident Town can recover

The United Counties League division one title chasers go into Saturday’s clash with lowly Rushden & Higham United on the back of successive defeats.

Not since August have Town lost two on the bounce and Marks will be looking for a positive response on Saturday at Communications Park. Following the NFA Junior Cup exit at Wellingborough Whitworths, Town were thumped 6-2 at Blackstones where they had Aaron King and Elliot Herbert dismissed.

That defeat saw Town knocked off top spot and Marks said: “After a very tough couple of weeks we go into Saturday’s game against tough opposition needing a positive result. We are all looking to improve and get our season back on track

“Both myself and Arron [Parkinson] are experienced enough to know all teams have a blip during the season so were not panicking but also accept the manner of the defeats were a shock.

“There are no excuses but we have had to play injured players in the last two games and, along with some individual and poor team performances, it has cost us.

“Not having a budget, reserves or an under-18 team has affected us like it did at the start of the season when, like now, we have had a few key players missing.

“Were hoping to have Justin Cerga, Arron [Parkinson] and Adam Confue back this Saturday which will give us a huge lift and add some much needed steel and experience into the side and get our season going again.

“Against Wellingborough Whitworths, it was the first time we have been behind by two goals since the start of the season but we threw the towel in. Against Blackstones, we were by far the better side first half but defended poorly at set-pieces.

“In the second half we didn’t have much time to get going, as very early an awful decision from the referee awarded them a penalty.

“Three minutes later Ross Harris made a poor decision for a second bookable offence and received a red card. Directly from the free-kick George McClellan made a huge error and it was game over.

“Credit to the remaining ten players and substitutes, we kept creating chances but were vulnerable defensively. The referee, like ourselves, had a game to forget for both sides and with 20 minutes remaining Elliot Herbert got his marching orders.

“But both red cards were the correct decisions. They are our first red cards of the season and it was certainly our worst game for discipline and will hopefully be the last.”