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| Jonny Edwards celebrates infront of a packed TinHat End |
KETTERING TOWN 3 REDDITCH UNITED 1
When you have strikers like Jonny Edwards and Nile Ranger in your team sometimes you don't have to be at your very best to pick up three points. On Saturday at Latimer Park that very much proved to be the case as despite not putting in the best performance Kettering Town picked up three points against Redditch United to remain at the top of the Southern League Premier Division table.
There was again another superb attendance for the match as almost 1850 supporters packed into Latimer Park for this fixture between the table topping Poppies and fourth placed Redditch. Kettering started the game attacking the tin hat end and had an early chance as Jonny Edwards volleyed a Ben Hart cross just wide of the target. But in the 15th minute The Poppies did take the lead. Ben Hart swung over a corner there was a scramble in the area before Lewis White headed the ball forward to find Edwards who turned the ball home from close range.
Some superb play between Isiah Noel-Williams and Nile Ranger saw Tyree Wilson sent clear wide down the left and he cut the ball back for Edwards whose effort was kept out by a superb block from Redditch defender Femi Olofinjana. From the resulting corner Harlain Mbayo headed towards goal and Redditch keeper Callum Smith had to scramble across goal to push the attempt wide.
Ben Hart had another chance for Kettering when he exchanged passes with Noel-Williams but his effort from the edge of the penalty area drifted harmlessly wide of the post. But minutes later, very much against the run of play and with their first real chance of the game Redditch drew level with a goal that really should not have counted. An aimless long ball up field was shielded by Harlain Mbayo but despite being clearly pushed full in the back amazingly no free kick was given and Marvellous Onabirekhanlen was allowed to carry on and place the ball low past Dan Jezeph for a goal that Redditch barely deserved and should have been disallowed.
Not long before half-time Redditch could and probably should have taken the lead. Another long ball dropped in behind Aaron Powell and that man Onabirekhanlen again raced clear on goal but with just Jezeph to beat he screwed his shot way wide of the far post.
Half-Time: Kettering Town 1 Redditch United 1
Kettering kicked off the second half attacking the Morrison's end that was packed to the rafters. On 55 minutes Kettering re-took the lead, Devon Kelly-Evans crossed found Edwards who brought the ball down and spun to volley towards goal. The Redditch defender handled the ball then the ball spun up and hit Edwards on the arm. The ref awarded a penalty, yes it was harsh and the Redditch player was a yard away from Edward's shot but given the fact the goal Redditch scored should not have stood it evened things out. In his after match interview Redditch manager Tim Flowers claimed the ball hit a Kettering arm, It did but after the ball had hit the arm of the Redditch defender.
Nile Ranger took the ball and stepped up to confidently find the net. Smith in the Redditch goal dived the right way but had no chance in keeping the kick out and The Poppies were back in front. In the next attack Redditch felt they should have had a penalty of their own when Johnny Jackson went down under a challenge from Lewis White. Thankfully the referee made the correct call as White clearly won the ball and the appeals were waved away.
On 62 minutes Kettering scored again to more or less seal the three points. Ben Hart's free-kick cleared everyone in the box. It found Tyree Wilson out wide and his cross was only cleared to Kelly-Evans who headed to White who sent the ball to Jonny Edwards who met the ball full on the volley and it whistled past Smith and into the back of the net.
Kettering saw the game out well with some good game management and the closest Redditch came to getting back into the game was when late on a header from a corner was well kept out by Dan Jezeph at his near post. With just a minute of normal time remaining The Poppies were reduced to ten men when Harlain Mbayo received a second yellow card for pulling back a Redditch striker. The only problem was nobody in the ground seemed to remember seeing Mbayo collect his first booking. The ref must have known he did however and Mbayo left the field.
There were no further incidents and the referee blew for full-time. Kettering were not at their best, but the victory was most certainly deserved and the Poppies remained top of the division. Good strikers score goals and that is what Edwards and Ranger did to bag the points. On Tuesday night The Poppies make the trip to AFC Telford United knowing that they will most definitely have to be at their best to take anything from the game.
Full-Time: Kettering Town 3 Redditch United 1
Kettering Team: Jezeph, Hart, Powell, Kelly-Evans, Mbayo, White, Noel-Williams (Sub Miller), Stohrer, Ranger (Sub Hooper), Edwards, Wilson (Sub York)
Subs (Not Used) - Jarvis, Andrade
Bookings: Powell, Mabayo
Sent Off: Mbayo (2nd Booking)
Redditch Team: Smith, Burton (Sub Leydon) , Kelly, Ram, Rowley, Olofinjana, Johnston (Sub Cameron), Shaw, Onabirekhanlen (Sub Davidson-Miller), Dawkins, Atwal (Sub Fitzgerald)
Sub (Not Used) - Flanagan
Bookings: Dawkins, Burton, Flanagan
Att: 1846
MOTM - Jonny Edwards
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