Buckle wants Hatters to make Kenilworth Road a fortress

Hatters boss Paul Buckle has urged his side to finally turn Kenilworth Road into a fortress this season, writes Mike Simmonds.

Town have won just four home games in the Conference to date, as opposed to an impressive six on their travels.

Tomorrow’s opponents Alfreton Town recently pushed League One opponents Leyton Orient mightily close in the FA Cup, so Buckle knows it is essential his side turn in a performance in front of their own fans.

He said: “It really is down to us. We have to go out on the front foot like we did in the FA Cup, in the Trophy.

“We have to make Kenilworth Road a fortress. We’ve tried very hard to do that as in the last few games we have looked a lot more aggressive in our approach.

“We must step forward, get stuck in and that’s the way you take the game to the opposition. Away from home we probably feel we need to roll our sleeves up, so we need to replicate that at home.

“We need to start the game like we did the other night and get the crowd behind us because it is our job to come out.

“We know at home this season we’ve not been at or best, but if you looked at our away performances and the points tally we’ve picked up, we’re somewhere where we need to be now.

“The energy levels we’ve got and the fitness levels, if we can blend those two things together we’ll be a hard team to play against.”

Although Town have gone over two weeks without a league game, they haven’t lost too much ground in the title race, and are just six points behind leaders Newport County.

Buckle continued: “That is a plus, a few teams have slipped up. It’s a very open league and continues to be open. I don’t think we’ve ever seen a league like this, but I did say a few weeks ago it will be January or February when it pans out.

“As long as we’re in there over the Christmas period and picking up points we’ll be happy as I do feel we’re capable of going on a run. We’ve started it already and it will only be continued if we keep our levels high.”

Town produced one of their worst performances of the season in their visit to Alfreton in September as they went down to a 3-0 defeat.

Despite the result, Buckle didn’t feel like his side owe their opponents for that day anything as he said: “I don’t think like that. We were poor on the day up there, we were awful, but a lots happened since.

“We’ve recovered really well since then, we’ve marched on in the league and the cups.

“The boys are on a good unbeaten run at the moment, so it’s a totally different game now.

“It was just another reminder of the league we are in. We didn’t help ourselves that day, but we still had lots of chances.

“They’ll come to our place and find us in a determined mood. The players are not in any mood to give up what they’ve built as it has been built on work-rate and desire.

“They’re a good side, but that’s nothing new. I’m not fussed what they do. I’m so energised by what I’m seeing on the training field and what I saw the other night.

With temperatures plummeting this week, and Hatters’ training field under a cover of snow, it hasn’t really affected Town’s preparation as Buckle said: “We could have gone inside and gone on astroturf, but I looked at the pitch out there covered in snow, and you can still play on it.

“We had a great morning, we worked hard, got a real sweat on and they’ve been in great spirits. There’s a real good team spirit about the place, so we’ve just on everything as normal.”

Buckle was also relieved to be preparing for a different opposition this weekend, having played Dorchester in their last three matches as he added: “It’s a nice, a nice feeling, refreshing, weve got over that now, got through that and credit to the players.

“We were really professional over the three games. It wasn’t easy, they tough encounters and we used a lot of players.

“We’re delighted we’re through in both cups and now its’ back to the league and we’ve got to get our focus back on that now.”

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