Yaxley boss confident his side won’t get sucked into a relegation dogfight, tough game for Peterborough Sports, easy game for Deeping and Peterborough Northern Star seek to avoid a dirty dozen

The Cuckoos were beaten 2-1 at home by next-to-bottom Kidlington last weekend. They are now just six points clear of the drop zone with eight games to play ahead of a trip to mid-table Sutton Coldfield tomorrow (March 16).

But Furnell is confident the club’s aim of survival in the first step four season in the club’s history will be achieved.

“I’m not worried at all,” Furnell stated. “We still have a healthy gap between us and the bottom two and we have teams who are in and around us to play.

“Our aim at the start of the season was t0 finish 18th and get ready for next season armed with enough knowledge to make us more competitive.

“We can play better than we have. We can do better on and off the field, but considering the small squad we have and the fact that we insist on living within our means we have done well enough.

“It was a disappointing defeat last weekend, but it was a freak result. We missed numerous chances to score and they scored twice after the ball had stayed in play by hitting our corner flag.

“Last season in the United Counties League we would have scored 300 goals if we’d taken all our chances, but misses at this higher level are more crucial.”

Yaxley welcome back influential skipper Ross Watson at Sutton Coldfield after a six-week absence with a calf injury.

Peterborough Sports moved back to the top of the table following a comfortable 3-0 win over Kempston Harriers at the Bee Arena last weekend, but they were denied the chance to move further clear when their Tuesday game at Thame United fell victim to the weather.

Sports have a tough game at fourth-placed Didcot United tomorrow.

Deeping Rangers should keep the pressure on the top two in the United Counties Premier Division by winning at bottom club Wellingborough Whitworth tomorrow.

Whitworth have lost 26 of their 30 top flight fixtures and boast a goal difference of -109.

Peterborough Northern Star seek to end an 11-game run without a win in the Premier Division at home to lowly Rothwell Corinthians tomorrow (3pm).

Wisbech St Mary have responded to their record-breaking 15-0 home defeat at the hands of Lakenheath by appointing former March Town boss Mel Matless as manager. The Saints are bottom of Division One North of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League.

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 16

EVO STIK NORTHERN LEAGUE

East Division: Stamford v Sheffield FC, Tadcaster Albion v Spalding Utd, Wisbech Town v Gresley FC.

EVO STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Division One Central: Didcot Town v Peterborough Sports, Sutton Coldfield Town v Yaxley.

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE

Premier Division: Holbeach United v Newport Pagnell Town, Peterborough Northern Star v Rothwell Corinthians, Pinchbeck United v Northampton ON Chenecks, Wellingborough Whitworth v Deeping Rangers.

Division One: Blackstones v Bugbrooke St.Michael, Huntingdon Town v Northampton Sileby Rangers, Long Buckby v Bourne Town.

EASTERN COUNTIES LEAGUE

Division One North: Harleston Town v Wisbech St Mary, March Town v Haverhill Borough.