Express & Star

Glassboys take aim at the top

Stourbridge are gunning for the top of Southern Central when they head to leaders Kettering Town tonight (7.45pm).

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The Glassboys are locked with the Poppies on 31 points at the summit – six clear of third-placed Alvechurch.

And boss Gary Hackett is looking forward to pitting his side against their fellow promotion-chasers at Latimer Park knowing victory would take them top.

“Kettering have had a fantastic start to the season and are really flying high, but we are really in a rich vein of form as well,” said Hackett. “We have defended well and are also scoring goals, but Kettering are the team to beat at the moment.

“We’ll go there with confidence, but respectful of where they are.”

Stourbridge’s rich vein of form has seen them win their last six matches in the league – the latest being a 3-0 home triumph over Hitchin Town on Saturday.

Star striker Greg Mills scored his fourth consecutive brace in the league in that match and is the man to watch out for tonight, but Brad Birch is rated only 50/50 to feature after picking up an ankle knock.

Stourbridge and Kettering have already met once this season, with the Glassboys going down to a 2-0 defeat in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

But Hackett said: “I don’t think that will factor into it at all – we both mixed the teams up and played different formations.”

Though victory would take Stourbridge top tonight, Hackett is acutely aware Kettering would retain two games in hand and the tag of title favourites.

“It would be a good confidence boost, but they have only played 12 games and we’ve played 14,” he added. “We know what they are about and they would have done their homework on us, so it should be a bit of a shootout.”

Meanwhile, Halesowen Town are scheduled to host Barwell tonight (7.45pm)