Kimberley MW ready for tough run of games against the top sides

Last weekend they snatched a 1-1 draw with AFC Mansfield when Lewis Partridge scored with the last kick of the game and Furnell admitted: “It can be a cruel game and on reflection AFC probably did enough to warrant all three points.

“But I have to give credit to our players as they dug in and kept going to the final whistle.

“The point keeps us in fifth position, but we have a very challenging month ahead of us having to play leaders Loughborough away, second placed Melton away, then travel to Anstey, who are hot favourites to win the league having just missed out on promotion last year.

“We know we have to improve and quickly get back to playing with more purpose and bravery.

“We will get the boys as prepared as possible on the training field and try to implement a game plan to get something out of the Lougborough game and I wouldn't rule out a couple of new faces to freshen up the squad.”

On the draw with AFC, he said: “This was always going to be a tricky game given our close friendship with their new manager, Paul Rockley.

“During Paul's short time out the game he aided us with info on opposition and is someone me and Ant (Ward) wanted to add into our team - but when the AFC opportunity came up it fizzled out.

“We've both known and respected Paul for a few years and knew even in a short space of time he would have them playing good football.

“As in recent weeks we started slowly and AFC took a deserved lead through Tyler Blake, and if it wasn't for our keeper Danny Rigley it could have been worse.

The heavy pitch was a factor in our selection but at half-time we felt we had to bring Tom Jones into the game to help link up our play more, which it did. But fair play to AFC, they were certainly up for it and pressed us and to their credit forced us backwards more than we would have liked.”

He continued: “With time running out we made another three changes and were forced to go more direct, taking off a couple of more defence minded players.

“With the last throw of the dice, and something which was completely different from our usual style, our keeper punted a long ball into the box. And after skipper Brown won the first ball, it dropped kindly for Partridge to smash home from a couple of yards out.

“It wasn't pretty for sure, but it was good to snatch a point with the last kick when we clearly underperformed for most of the game.”

Neighbours Selston head for Sleaford Town on Saturday after a 3-1 defeat at Leicester Nirvana last weekend followed a midweek penalties League Cup exit after drawing 1-1 with Kirby Muxloe, in which Jake Payling was sent off.

Against Nirvana, Selston trailed 1-0 at the break but were 3-0 down by the time Ben Moore's volley pulled one back 11 minutes from time.

Boss Craig Weston has added to the squad with the arrival of lively 18-year-old forward Colt Reynolds, who spent the last season with Rainworth MW after being released by Mansfield Town.