The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Corby Town Football Club
Nickname: The Steelmen
Founded: 1948
Ground: Steel Park
Capacity: 3,893 (577 seated)
Chairman: Stevie Noble
Manager: Gary Setchell (since January 2023)
Last season: 2nd/21 (NPL Midlands)
Journey distance: 65 miles

The Opposition - History
Corby Town FC was founded in 1948, succeeding Stewarts & Lloyds as the town’s main club and joining the United Counties League, where they won consecutive titles in 1950–51 and 1951–52 before moving to the Midland League. They made their first FA Cup appearance in 1954–55, losing to Watford. After joining the Southern League in 1958, Corby repeatedly applied for Football League status during the 1960s without success, though they reached the FA Cup third round in 1965–66 after beating Luton Town.

Relegation followed in 1967–68, and the club moved through various league restructures over the following decades. After relegation in 1990, Corby bounced back a year later and continued shifting divisions due to reorganisations. They won the Southern League Premier Division in 2008–09, earning promotion to Conference North, and reached the FA Cup first round again in 2010–11 and 2011–12.

Relegated in 2012–13, they were champions again in 2014–15 but dropped back down the next season. Further league transfers followed due to non-League restructuring, and in 2024–25 Corby finished runners-up in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, losing 2–1 to Worcester City in the promotion play-off final.

The Opposition - This Season
The Steelmen started the season in sensational form, winning their first six in all competitions.
After a first defeat against Coventry Sphinx, they bounced back to defeat AFC Rushden & Diamonds but exited the FA Cup to Gainsborough Trinity.
Two further wins followed before a 3-0 defeat at Rugby Borough.
After this they picked up comprehensive wins over Sutton Coldfield Town (FA Trophy) and Shepshed Dynamo (NPL) before drawing back to back league games with a penalty shootout win over Quorn sandwiched in between them.
A three match winless run came next but they come into the match tonight off the back of two wins in a row against Lichfield City and Spalding United, a win which puts them into the 2nd Round of the FA Trophy where they will face Kidderminster Harriers.

League (5th/22): P 14 W 7 D 3 L 4 F 22 A 17 Pts. 24
Cups: P 8 W 6 D 1 L 1 F 15 A 6

Top goalscorers: Tyrone Lewthwaite (10), Reuben Marshall (6)
Biggest victory: 5-1 vs. Shepshed Dynamo (23rd September)
Heaviest defeat: 0-3 vs. Rugby Borough (13th September)
Highest home attendance: 733 vs. Gainsborough Trinity (30th August)
Average home attendance: 513 (2nd/22)
Most consecutive wins: 6
Most games without a win: 5
Most consecutive defeats: 1
Most games without a defeat: 6

The Nailers
After an indifferent pre-season, Belper started well in the NPL with three victories in their first four matches but this early spell also saw an exit from the FA Cup at the first hurdle.
A good point was secured on Bank Holiday Monday at Basford and it was another draw against Rugby Town back at the Raygar.
The Nailers battled past Newcastle Town in the FA Trophy before defeating Bedworth United.
Rugby Town ended the FA Trophy run at the Second Qualifying Round stage but it was back to winning ways against Wellingborough Town and Coventry Sphinx.
Carlton Town won at Belper on the 7th of October to inflict a first defeat of the season and four days later it became back to back defeats as Coleshill won 2-0.
The Nailers bounced back well from these setbacks, with an impressive victory at Anstey Nomads being followed by a comfortable home win over AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
At the weekend a last gasp free kick from Jacob Gratton secured a point at Racing Club Warwick.
Five players have appeared in every match so far.
Kevin Bastos leads the goalscoring charts with six, while Liam Moran has four. Jacob Fenton, Jacob Gratton and Ben Rhodes have three. Jack Broadhead and Jonathan Wafula are on two apiece while a further four players have a single goal to their name.

Head to Head
The two sides have met on seven occasions and it's been a game of two halves so far, with the Steelmen winning the first four but the Nailers victorious in the last three.
It started in 1976 with an FA Trophy match at Corby which the hosts won 1-0.
It would be 16 years before the sides met again, a Floodlit Cup match where Corby scored four goals without reply.
The FA Trophy draw threw up the tie once again in 1999, again at Corby and they won this match 2-1.
The biggest margin of victory came in 2017 when the Nailers came home with their tail between their legs after a 5-0 NPL defeat.
Belper in recent years have managed to improve their record in the fixture, winning the return match that season 1-0, then repeating the score in December 2021.
The last meeting in April 2022 saw the Nailers win 2-0 at the Raygar Stadium, Derry Robson and Tom Wilson on the scoresheet for Belper.

Overall record for Belper: P 7 W 3 D 0 L 4 F 5 A 12
(2 x FA Trophy, 1 x EH Floodlit Cup, 4 x NPL)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Corby Town: DLDLWW
Belper Town: WLLWWD

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 7:00pm.

Permutations
Carlton's win last night sent them above Belper to the top of the table. With the Nailers holding a superior goal difference and trailing by a point, a draw will be enough to return to the summit but will leave Carlton with two games in hand on level points.
A win would send Belper two points clear.
With no other games taking place tonight we cannot drop a place.
Corby would move to third and close within a point of Belper with a win, on level games.
Being one point ahead of Anstey, they also are safe from dropping down the table no matter the result.

Match details
Corby Town vs. Belper Town
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division

Wednesday, 29th October 2025 - 7:45pm kick off

Steel Park
Jimmy Kane Way
Corby
NN17 2FB

Admission prices: Adults £12, Concessions, £7, Juveniles £2

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

• Audio commentary with Tom on Radio Belper Town
• Full text coverage on X and Facebook
• Match reports on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only)

NPL Midlands fixtures
Tuesday, 28th October
Basford United 3-0 Loughborough Students
Carlton Town 2-1 Rugby Borough
Sutton Coldfield Town 5-3 AFC Rushden & Diamonds