Millers marker for County’s progress
COUNTY boss Dave Challinor believes that the tough trip to high-flying Rotherham United in FA Cup action this week represents a “great marker” for his side to assess their own chances of success this season – after another “really good week” for The Hatters.
Back-to-back big wins last week in National League action made it four on the bounce for Challinor’s men, as both King’s Lynn and Wealdstone were comfortably dispatched in 5-0 and 1-4 wins respectively.
The home game against King’s Lynn was memorable as it marked Connor Jennings’ return to action following his treatment for cancer – and he marked the occasion by scoring the fifth goal.
The big win at Wealdstone on Saturday temporarily moved County into a play-off position prior to Notts County’s late kick-off, with The Hatters now just one position outside the National League’s top seven ahead of Friday evening’s visit to the Millers in the secondround proper of the competition.
“It’s been a good week performances, progression and points on the board”, said Challinor.
“The players do look at league tables so of course seeing our position will be a boost. We’re still a work in progress, but there are plenty of positive signs for us and we can now move on and look forward to a big cup tie.”
Rotherham are currently sitting top of League One, with the tie representing – on paper – the most difficult draw County could have been handed in this round of the competition, prior to the entry of Championship and Premier League sides in round three.
But Challinor believes his side will take confidence from a previous difficult tie, in which County memorably overcame League One side Bolton in a 5-3 AET win in the first round proper.
“Rotherham is a great tie for us. We’ve had two really tough cup draws,” he said.
“It becomes a bit of a free hit for us. It’s a great marker for us to see where we are as a side before we then refocus on the priority, the National League.”
The Hatters will head into the tie in good form, not only by way of four successive wins, but in good goalscoring form to boot – with Challinor seeing his side notch up a remarkable nineteen goals in his opening six games in charge.
Ollie Crankshaw, who sealed the tie against Bolton Wanderers with County’s fifth in the last minute of extra time, grabbed an eighteenminute hat-trick in the 1-4 win at Wealdstone on Saturday – and Challinor believes the former Bradford City winger can be “as good as he wants”.
“Ollie had - shall we say - a not great start to the second half! Everything he tried went wrong. He bought himself some time with his first goal and went on to get a brilliant hat-trick,” said Challinor.
“He can be as good as he wants to be.
“He’s very driven and level-headed, but all of the players here know that it’s about hard work, consistency and the motivation to keep going.”
Challinor equalled the best ever start to life as a
‘It’s a great marker to see where we are as a side before we refocus on the league’
County manager by securing a fourth win on the bounce in addition to two draws – with two of those results coming against League One opposition.
And the former County captain believes that his players are now improving “game by game”, and suggested that The Hatters won’t be changing their attacking, free-flowing approach when faced with the tough prospect of League One’s current leaders, enjoying a sixteen-game unbeaten run of their own.
“We want to be progressive. The players have bought into that really well. They’re producing what I’m asking of them on a regular basis so far,” he said.
“We just want to see an improvement in each game. We have our philosophies, and we want to keep learning whilst winning football matches. That won’t be any different this Friday.”
Meanwhile, County learned their FA Trophy fate this week, as The Hatters were drawn to face fellow National League promotion contenders Grimsby Town at Edgeley Park in the third round proper.
The tie, which will be settled on the day with a penalty shootout available if needed, will be played on Saturday 18th December, and represents a chance for County fans to see some football at Edgeley Park before Christmas.
Prior to the Trophy draw on Monday, County’s only home game of the month was set to be the visit of Altrincham on Boxing Day.