Steve Diggin is hoping he can fire Corby Town to a positive end to a difficult season in the Blue Square Bet North.

The popular striker’s campaign has been very much a metaphor for the Steelmen as a whole as brief periods of promise have given way to frustration and concern as the results have not come.

But in the last couple of games Diggin and Corby have looked back to their best with wins over Vauxhall Motors and Workington.

Diggin also ended his own 12-game drought with a last-minute winner in the trip to Cumbria at the weekend.

That showed real character on his part after he had missed four golden chances in the second half which looked like coming back to haunt him when Workington equalised two minutes from the end.

But straight from the restart, Diggin was given one more chance which he took with a deft lob.

And as they prepare to face title contenders Alfreton Town tonight, Diggin is hoping his goal at Workington is the one that sets him off on the sort of scoring run that has made him a cult figure at Rockingham Triangle in the last three years.

“It was a great win for us at Workington and that was the most important thing,” he said.

“But obviously, I was very happy to get the goal and see the ball go in at the end as I know I had two or three great chances.

“It was frustrating because I knew I was playing well and I have been playing well for the last couple of games but the ball just has not been going in for me.

“I think I’ve been a bit unlucky of late because I had a couple blocked against Vauxhall and then at Workington I hit the post and the keeper made a couple of saves.

“When Workington got that goal, we thought it was going to be one of those days again and all those chances I missed suddenly looked really bad.

“But we got another chance, I got the goal and hopefully that can be the start of a good run for me.

“Whenever I do get a goal, I tend to start scoring in bursts. That’s what happened at the end of last season when I got quite a few goals in the last month and I hope I can do the same again this year.”

Goals are certainly not an issue for Alfreton as Corby found out when they lost 6-0 in Derbyshire less than three weeks ago.

The Reds are spoilt for choice in attack with the likes of Daryl Clare, Paul Clayton, Liam Hearn and Nathan Arnold to call upon.

By contrast, Diggin, Scott Mooney and Gregg Smith are almost Corby’s only choices at the sharp end.

Diggin has started alongside Mooney for the last five games and the pair have already shown signs of forging a partnership.

However, he could find himself lining up with Smith tonight after he also scored against Workington.

That would also suit Diggin who has shown in the past he works well in partnership with a big striker.

But whoever he starts with tonight, Diggin expects no let-up in the work rate.

“We’re all willing to put the effort in and that’s got the confidence going through the side again,” he said.

“There’s a lot of young lads come into the team now and they’re all good players who work hard and now we’re starting to get our rewards for that.”

John Smith - Corby Evening Telegraph