Buckle: Title race is wide open

Hatters boss Paul Buckle believes the race for the Blue Square Bet Premier title is going to be wide open this season, writes Mike Simmonds.

Town are currently fourth in the table, six points away from leaders Newport County after Tuesday night’s defeat to Braintree Town.

Forest Green Rovers are also in the mix and Buckle insists a number of teams will feel it could be their year with the lack of a Crawley or Fleetwood running away with it.

Buckle said: “At the start of the season I thought it was going to be open and if you look at the league table, it’s anyone’s at the moment in the top six to go and win it.

“There’s so much football to be played. You lose game or two, confidence can go, that’s why it’s so important to remain consistent.

“That’s why when we lost the game (against Grimsby) we didn’t get too low and went on a good run.

“We lost the other night, we know the reasons why we lost that and were comfortable we can do the right things and go on a run, and that’s what we need to do.”

Wrexham’s win at Stockport County on Wednesday night saw them move back into second place, but Buckle believes that with the club now in their fourth season in the Conference, Town fans have had something of a reality check.

He continued: “I think now that there’s a realism around the club and I really feel our fans stick with us.

“They know how difficult it is and being in this position now for the fourth season and understand its very difficult to win games and get to the top of the league.

“But we’re right in there now. Results were kind the other night, Newport won and Wrexham won at Stockport, but reports were that they didn’t have it all their own way.

“There are lots of good teams in the league that can cause an upset on any given day. What we’ve got to do is try and get back on track, take the positives into the game on Saturday and have that lovely feeling at quarter to five on Saturday of three points.

“We’re certainly where we want to be at this stage of the season which is right in there and trying to get top spot.

“The other teams are yet to have poor run, it’s going to happen because there’s lots of good sides at this level. I don’t think anyone can quite call who’s going to finish at the top.”

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