Rick Andrews says he is proud of how his Stowmarket Town players are finishing the season, writes Alex Moss.

Since losing 1-0 away at Godmanchester Rovers on March 24, the Old Gold and Blacks have gone on an eight-match winning run in April and still have an outside chance of a top-two finish.

Luke Read’s 89th-minute strike earned Stow a late win away at Wivenhoe Town on Thursday night, a goal which ensured Stow can still mathematically catch Felixstowe & Walton United, who occupy second place in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division table.

Andrews’ side are eight points adrift of the Seasiders with three games to go, meaning there is still a slim chance of back-to-back promotions for the Old Gold and Blacks, but the Stow boss says tomorrow’s home clash with Long Melford at Greens Meadow (3pm) will be approached to like any other game.

“We will just approach the game like any other,” Andrews said.

“We owe it to our supporters who travel to come and watch us to keep playing until the end.

“It would be easy to pie it off, but I don’t think this squad are about that. They’ve got their own pride and professionalism and they showed it again on Thursday.

“They stuck at it, they got a bit frustrated at times, but they got there in the end and how can you criticise them?

“It was our eighth game this month and we’ve picked up eight wins and it was our fourth clean sheet on the bounce.”

The winning goal at the GMP Plant Hire Stadium on Thursday came from a quick free-kick routine, inspired by coach Tom Parke, who also came in for some plaudits from the Stow boss.

“I’m pleased for ‘Toasty’,” Andrews said.

“We brought him in to coach and help develop things, and when one of those things you work on comes off it’s good for him.

“Since we’ve had Tom here we’ve worked on free-kicks and when it comes off it’s well worked, it’s not a fluke. It’s stuff we’ve worked on.”

In Monday’s EADT, four pages of non-league reports and pictures.