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| Isiah Noel-Williams hits the important winner |
KETTERING TOWN 2 ALVECHURCH 1
A fantastic second half performance from Kettering Town saw the Poppies come from a goal down to beat Alvechurch 2-1 and leapfrog AFC Telford United into second place in the Southern League Premier Division Central. The Poppies now know that should they defeat St Ives Town on Saturday they will return to the top of the league table.
Alvechurch were a typical Tim Flowers side, well drilled and a side looking to break up play at every opportunity with fouls making the game stop start. They were also good at set plays and it's from one of those that they stunned The Poppies by taking an early lead. A corner from the right was superbly delivered by Erik Savkin and poor marking by the Kettering defence allowed Archie Crowther a free header six yards out that he buried past Dan Jezeph.
Eight minutes later a poor start became worse when influential midfielder Devon Kelly-Evans pulled up chasing a ball and his game was over, being replaced by Sam McLintock. After the game manager Richard Lavery confirmed Kelly-Evans has pulled his hamstring and is facing 4-6 weeks on the side-lines. The Poppies squad is being stretched now as Jonny Edwards was again missing with the hip injury he picked up at Bedford and it being confirmed that Callum Powell will miss the rest of the season after scans showed he has broken his fibula. With Kelly-Evans now out and also Tyree Wilson withdrawn at half-time with an injury Lavery did admit he may be forced into adding to his squad for the run in.
Back to the game and the rest of the first half was spent seeing The Poppies have most of the position but not really creating many chances. Both Wes York and Terell Pennant forced Dale Eve into two routine saves and on the stroke of half-time a dangerous free kick from Ben Hart was pushed away by Eve as Alex Gudger waited to pounce. Alvechurch looked pretty happy to sit back and invite the Poppies onto them and look to play on the counter attack.
Whatever was said by Lavery at half-time clearly seemed to do the trick as Kettering came out looking far more on the front foot and began to really take the game to the visitors. Isiah Noel-Williams started the half like a man on a real mission as his strength, power and non stop running was really beginning to trouble Alvechurch and the only way they could stop The Poppies attacker was to foul him at almost every opportunity. And from one of those fouls Andi Thanoj floated over a lovely free kick to the back post where Wes York (Who had a superb game up front) looped a header over Eve and into the back of the net to draw The Poppies level.
As soon as that goal went in there was only ever going to be one winner. Kyle Storer came on for Terrell Pennant and a change in formation saw York move out onto the wing and Noel-Williams play as the main striker. His performance went up a gear as he hustled and harried the Alvechurch defence,
What turned out to be the winning goal came on the 76 minute and it was fitting that Noel-Williams should score it. A Poppies corner was cleared and it found Ben Hart on the half way line. He played a superb diagonal ball that found Connor Johnson and he cushioned a lovely pass into the path of Noel-Williams who arrived at the near post to poke the ball home past Eve.
Alvechurch didn't ever really look like getting back into the game at any point with Kettering looking strong at the back. In fact the lead should have been added to when Noel-Williams tackled the last Alvechurch defender on the half-way line and raced away on goal with just Eve to beat. But Isiah was caught in two minds of should he shoot himself or pass to the supporting McLintock, he chose the latter but the pass was poor and an Alvechurch defender had got back to clear.
Just a couple of minutes later the full-time whistle had blown and Kettering had the three points. It's now just one defeat in the last six games and the league title is back in The Poppies hands. Whilst the football might not be as free flowing as it was in the first half of the season, after a tough spell Kettering are finding a way to win football matches by battling to the three points. At this stage of the season that's not a bad habit to get into. Results now are far more important than performances. Supporters of other clubs that were very vocal on social media how Kettering had bottled it are not so vocal now after this run in the last six games. You can see the confidence returning to the players and by Saturday night The Poppies could be back on the top of the table.
Full-Time - Kettering Town 2 Alvechurch 1
Kettering Town Line-Up
1.Dan Jezeph
2.Ben Hart
3.Aaron Powell
4.Devon Kelly-Evans (Sub Sam McLintock)
5.Connor Johnson (c)
6.Alex Gudger
7.Wes York
8.Andi Thanoj
10.Terell Pennant (Sub Kyle Storer)
11.Tyree Wilson (Sub Kai Fifield)
16.Isiah Noel-Williams
Subs (not used) - Nile Ranger, Lewis White
Att: 859
Booked: McLintock
MOTM - Isiah Noel-Williams
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