The Steelmen made the worst possible start to the new season when they were knocked out of the F.A Cup at the Preliminary Round stage away to lower ranked Mildenhall Town. Having remained unbeaten throughout pre-season this was a bitterly disappointing result for Corby - but one about which they could have few complaints.
Corby did produce some neat passing football but little of it in areas which really hurt the hosts. There was certainly little to enthuse about in an attacking sense.
The Steelmenl were dealt an early blow when Joel Carta limped off and only a goal line clearance by Jake Duffy kept it goalless before they went ahead in the 28th minute. Charlie Wise got on the end of a right wing Duffy corner and his downward header bounced up and over the defender covering the near post.
Potentially dangerous crosses by Connor Furey and Sam Warburton from the left were comfortably dealt with by the Mildenhall defence and when a centre did find the head of Steve Diggin he flicked it harmlessly wide.
Corby were a little fortunate to be ahead at the interval and their luck appeared to be holding into the second half. A cross by Scott Chaplin was missed by attackers and defenders alike as it passed across the penalty area and when James Hall was left unmarked in front of goal he was denied by an outstanding save by Craig Hill.
Jordon Crawford was unable to start the game due to suffering from a dead-leg but when he was introduced late on he sparked some extra life into the Corby attack. He was involved in several good moves and had two shots deflected off target himself.
Just as it seemed that the Steelmen were going to hold on disaster struck. Referee Mr Thomas Hancock spotted an infringement by Gary Mulligan inside the penalty area and Hall easily converted the resulting spot kick to take the tie straight into a penalty shoot-out.
With regular penalty takers Steve Diggin and Elliot Sandy both sitting on the bench by this time Corby had to call upon some less likely candidates,
Greg Ling made an immaculate job of the Steelmen's first kick and Steve Weavers drew Mildenhall level with a shot into the bottom corner which Hill almost got to. Duffy took responsibility for Corby's second and his effort was net bound until Crump got a hand to it to turn it round the post. Joe Asensi then crashed his kick in-off the underside of the crossbar, Advantage Mildenhall.
Jordan O;Brien confidently converted Corby's third kick and Ben Yeomans cheekily waited until Hill had dived left before casually rolling the ball to his right to make it 3-2 to the hosts. Sam Warburton made no mistake to level the scores and when Kaine Manels hit his shot high over the bar the Steelmen were back in it.
Crawford stepped up to take Corby's fifth and his shot struck almost the same spot on the crossbar as Asensi. Whereas the Mildenall man's effort had deflected into the net, however, Crawford's bounced out and the home side had the opportunity to win the tie - which regular penalty taker Hall duly accepted.
To add insult to injury the names of Duffy, Wise, Ling and Mulligan all went into the referee's notebook on a day which Corby Town will quickly want to forget.

MILDENHALL TOWN:- Dan Crump, Charlie Hinch, Joe Asensi; Luke Buycher (c), Robert Ruddy, Phil Weavers; Matt Green, Scott Chaplin, Alex Stead, James Hall, Tanner Call. Substitutes: Casey Phillips, Kaine Manels, Ben Nolan, Tommy Robinson, Ben Yeomans, Ben Barlow (GK).

CORBY TOWN:- Craig Hill; Curtis Hartley, Sam Warburton (c); Jake Duffy (c), Charlie Wise, Gary Mulligan; Joel Carta (substitute Callum Westwood, substitute Matt North), Greg Ling, Connor Furey, Steve Diggin (substitute Jordon Crawford), Jordan O'Brien. Unused substitutes; Elliot Sandy, Jordan Fowler, Ollie Gee, Owen Broadley (GK).

REFEREE:- Mr Thomas Hancock.