Kettering Town v Doncaster Rovers

The History

 

This Sunday at Latimer Park Kettering Town will face Doncaster Rovers in the Second Round of the FA Cup. The two clubs have faced each other before in the late 90's and early 2000's when both clubs were members of the National League. Since the last meeting almost 21 years ago The Poppies have played as low down as The Southern League Division One Central whilst The Rovers have reached the dizzy heights of The Championship.

Also since the last time the two clubs faced each other both now play in different stadiums. The Poppies now play at the humble surrounding of Latimer Park, their home since 2013 whilst Rovers have called the impressive 15,000 all seater Eco-Power Stadium home since 2007.

Kettering Town and Doncaster Rovers have played each other eight times with the Poppies yet to register a victory against Rovers. "Donny" have won four of the meetings with the other four games ending in draws. The first meeting between the teams came in August 1998 when a Craig Norman penalty earned Kettering a point in a 1-1 draw at Belle Vue infront of 4569 fans. Donny won the return fixture at Rockingham Road with a late Ian Duerden goal sending the points back up to Yorkshire.

The clubs last two meetings came in the 2002/2003 season, and it was a season of joy for Doncaster as they were promoted back to the Football League via the play-offs whilst The Poppies finished rock bottom of the league table and were relegated to the Ryman League. Rovers won both fixtures that season, In September at Belle Vue a single Gareth Owen goal gave the home side the points and in the return fixture at Rockingham Road in February 2003 two Paul Barnes goals gave Donny maximum points.

Here are the details from the game when the two sides met.

Saturday February 15th 2023

 

Kettering Town 0

Doncaster Rovers 2 (Barnes 9, 45)

 

Att: 1633

 

Kettering Town Team: Bowling, Matthews, Haran, Norman, Howarth, Inman, Goodwin, Diuk, Boyle-Chong, Asombang, Murphy

Subs: Shutt, McKenzie, Dancy, Carson, Gourlay

Doncaster Rovers Team: Warrington, Beech, Ryan, Maples, Foster, Ravenhill, Payton, Green, Blunt, Jackson, Barnes

Subs: Nelson, Morley, Albrighton, Tierney, Whitman

Played for both clubs

 

A list of players that have pulled on the shirts of Kettering Town and Doncaster Rovers

 

Steve Adams, Carl Alford, Chris Beardsley, Andy Beasley, Steve Burton, Riccardo Calder, Adam Collin, Jack Degruchy, Kevin Dixon, Sean Dunphy, Lee Fowler, Steve Humphries, Gary Jones, Ernie Moss, Tarkan Mustafa, Jamie Paterson, Oscar Radford, Shane Reddish, Paul Reece, Zeke Rowe, Chris Swailes, Andy Turner, Billy Whitehurst