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| Devon Kelly-Evans battles for the ball |
STOURBRIDGE 1 KETTERING TOWN 2
So after last week's much improved performance in the home victory over Barwell it was a trip up to Stourbridge for a game against an in form side who if they defeated The Poppies would sit only two points behind us in the league table. As good as last weekend's performance was you didn't want to get to carried away and shout that Kettering are back as it was against a Barwell side who were on a dreadful run of form. This game against a Stourbridge side who had won four of their previous five games would be a much tougher test.
So a car full off us set off for the trip to the Black County, the weather was rubbish with it raining all the way up the motorway. We arrived in Stourbridge around 2.20pm and got into the stadium in time for a quick drink before kick-off. Now I don't know if you have ever been to Stourbridge before but it's not the greatest of grounds. Only three sided (The 4th side is the town's cricket ground) it looks very tired and ran down. One side of the ground where the dug outs are situated has half the covered terrace closed off because in the words of a Stourbridge official "It could fall down at any minute" so changing ends involved a long walk around the adjacent cricket field. When you got to the covered terrace behind the goal half of that was closed off to for safety issues!
Unsurprisingly Lavs went with the same starting XI as the one that defeated Barwell. The only changes were on the bench where new signings Kyle Storer from AFC Telford United and Sam McLintock from Rushall Olympic replaced Luca Miller and Gary Stohrer. Both Luca and Gary have left to get some much needed minutes with Luca joining St Ives Town on a months loan and Gary heading to Wellingborough Town on duel registration.
The game kicked-off on a very heavy pitch that began cutting up straight from kick-off. The Poppies were playing the much better football with wingers Wilson and Pennant both looking a threat and Devon Kelly-Evans and Isiah Noel-Williams winning the midfield battle with their energy. The first clear cut chance went to Stourbridge when Ethan Freemantle spooned an effort over the bar from ten yards after the Poppies had failed to clear a long throw.
On 28 minutes Poppies took the lead and it came from a lovely move. Good play out wide by both Ty Wilson and Ben Hart saw Harty deliver one of his trademark crosses that Nile Ranger headed goalward and Stourbridge keeper Lewys Benjamin could only parry out as far as Noel-Williams and Isiah buried the rebound into the roof of the net. Kettering looked the more likely to score again, winning a number of corners and the closest Stourbridge came to scoring was from a miss hit cross that came off the top of Dan Jezeph's cross bar. So we went in at the break a goal to the good.
At half-time most of the Poppies fans used the Cricket Club's bar for their half-time refreshments and we were all made really welcome. Big shout out to the Pork Pie's on sale in there, One of the best pork pies I've ever had I reckon. Simon Powell definitely approved as he went back for a second. Also there was an elderly local gent in there that was telling us the red seats in the Football Club's main stand had come from the old main stand at Rockingham Road!
So the second half started with The Poppies now attacking the covered terracing behind the top goal and most the Kettering fans (A good 200 +) had gathered there to watch the half. And what we all saw was probably one of the best and most complete 45 minute performances from us this season. Just four minutes into the half the lead was doubled when Terrell Pennant was 20 yards out on the left of the Stourbridge penalty area and he curled a superb effort into the top corner that Benjamin in the Stourbridge goal didn't move a muscle for.
Stourbridge then just began to go direct but Connor Johnson and Alex Gudger (who was excellent again) won everything at the back and the home side only really had an ambitious over head kick from Freemantle that went way over the crossbar to show for their efforts. Poppies came so close to a third when sub Wes York crossed for Nile Ranger to thump a header goalward that Benjamin some how managed to push onto the crossbar. Soon after Nile was replaced by Jonny Edwards and Jonny will be disappointed that come full-time he wasn't taking the match ball home with him.
In his 20 minutes spell he slotted home an 82nd minute penalty to put The Poppies 3-0 in front after Benjamin had brought down Devon Kelly-Evans, Edwards then in the 86th minute following superb play from debutant sub Sam McLintock managed to blast over the bar from 6 yards out and in the 94th minute he escaped the Stourbridge defence, rounded Benjamin and as it looked like he was rolling in the 4th Poppies goal Blaine Rowe made a superb goal saving clearance on the line for the home side.
Sandwiched in between the two Edwards efforts Stourbridge pulled a goal back when a free-kick into the box looked to be claimed by Jezeph but despite a clear foul on the Poppies keeper the referee never blew and Richard Batchelor rolled home a mere conciliation for the hosts.
The full-time whistle blew and it was an excellent win, an excellent performance and an excellent three points. It was hard to pick out a single player that didn't have a good game, even the two new lads Storer and McLintock looked good in their second half appearances, even if McLintock might count himself lucky he wasn't sent off for a very late tackle close to full-time.
Is it still to early to say Kettering are back?, who knows but if we can repeat performances like Saturday's on a regular basis then the title is very much achievable. There are some big fixtures coming up, starting this coming Friday with the short trip to Bedford Town. There is sure to be a big away following and The Poppies will know victory at The New Eyrie will take them back to the top of the table for a day at least.
Kettering Team: Jezeph, Hart, A.Powell, Kelly-Evans, Johnson, Gudger, Noel-Williams, Thanoj (sub Storer), Ranger (sub Edwards), Pennant (sub York), Wilson (sub McLintock)
Sub (not used): White
Bookings: Noel-Williams, Jezeph, McLintock, Edwards
Att: 912 (Kettering fans around 225)
#UTP Man of the match: Isiah Noel-Williams
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