Baillie wants Town's play-off spot sealed before Kettering trip
HEAD of football Thomas Baillie admitted he would like Stratford Town to secure a place in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Central play-offs before the final game of the season against champions-elect Kettering Town.
Fourth-placed Town are enjoying their best ever season under the former Poppies boss and crucially have a seven-point cushion over sixth-placed AFC Rushden & Diamonds and seventh-placed Biggleswade Town going into tomorrow's, Saturday, home game against Rushall Olympic.
After last Saturday’s 2-0 victory away at already relegated Bedworth United, the Town gaffer believes just two more wins from the remaining five games of the season will be enough to give his side a shot at going for promotion to Step Two of the non-League ladder.
And Baillie stressed he wanted to make sure of a play-off place before the trip to high-flying Kettering on Saturday, April 27th.
“Securing a place in the play-offs is in our own hands and we are in a position which hardly anyone expected us to be in,” he told the Herald.
“Many had us down as one of six sides who would be favourites to go down, but we’ve surprised pretty much everyone and what we don’t want to do is throw it all away and be in a position where we have to get something from our final game of the season at Kettering.
“The lads deserve great credit for getting the club into this position and I believe this is the club’s best chance of getting promoted as the division we are in right now is going to be even tougher next year.
“Should we get in the play-offs, I firmly believe the likes of Stourbridge and King’s Lynn Town will be under enormous pressure to go up while we can just go out there, enjoy ourselves and play with pride.
“I always said the draw at Barwell not too long ago was important as firstly it was a clean sheet and secondly it stopped the rot, and since then we have really pushed on.
"Regardless of what happens, this has been Stratford’s most successful season so people need to enjoy it for the next few weeks.”
Baillie has also called on the fans to turn out in force at the Arden Garages Stadium for the final three home games of the league campaign.
“It would be great to see the fans out in force as we are on an exciting journey right now,” he added.
“We’ve got three home games left and we want to see all the fans and their friends to support the lads for what is their most successful season.
“In terms of seasons to come, who knows what is going to happen so the fans need to enjoy what’s happening now.
“Like I said before, this is our best chance of getting promoted and if we can’t get the fans out then we have to wonder what more we can do to get them through the gate as the support makes a huge difference.”
