Full Time:

Match Report

MATCH SPONSORS: IN MEMORY OF DYLAN CECIL AND RYAN KIRK

PROGRAMME SPONSOR: BRYAN LEWIN MBE

IN A NUTSHELL:

Another quality strike, this time from James Hall in the 47th minute won this game for the Poppies. In truth, the win was easier than the scoreline showed with Paul White having only one save to make in the 90 minutes. The Kings spirit was good though and they never stopped running and making it difficult for the home side.

THE KETTERING SQUAD:

James Brighton was the latest to report injured and Jack Kelly deputized. The bench included both Liam Bateman and Paul Malone who were still coming back from injury and not 100% fit.

HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED:

A healthy crowd greeted the team as the game kicked off on a tacky pitch in dry conditions. Kings’ Kieran Turner got in an early shot which sailed high and wide. A minute later James Hall was sent clear only to be denied by the Assistant’s flag for offside. It was Kettering who were on the offensive and Dom Langdon’s 6th minute drive was just over Xavi Comas’ bar. Then Jack Kelly’s 9th minute corner was headed across his own six yard box by Jack Pattison with no Kettering player there to apply the final touch. Comas then raced off his line to just beat Aaron O’Connor as the striker chased a through ball. On 13 minutes Jack Kelly’s cross from the left dropped onto the top of the net and Rene Howe’s back header from Langdon’s long throw was wide of the target. The Poppies were really threatening and Liam Canavan’s 19th minute left foot chip was just tipped over by Comas. The resultant corner flashed across the goal line with Howe a whisker away from the touch which would surely have seen a goal. Canavan’s left foot volley a minute later was well wide. Then the first goal looked on as Brett Solkhon’s left foot volley from Langdon’s cross went goalwards and Comas was relieved to see it go narrowly wide of the left upright. Kings finally got forward with Jerry Amoo winning a corner and Richard Platt glanced his header wide of goal from the restart. Kelly’s 33rd minute cross saw the ball loop up off of Gary Connolly’s head and just wide of goal. The next Kettering attack saw Howe on the floor with Comas and Jorell Johnson, with Howe trying to force the ball into goal- but the Assistant pulled up the play for a foul on Johnson. The visitors gained a free kick in the final moments of the half and Turner fired just over the bar. The same player then crossed and the ball again was over the bar as the teams went in all square.

Half Time: Kettering Town 0 - 0 Kings Langley

The Poppies were soon in their stride again and won a corner on the left. The cross was cleared- but straight to James Hall 20 yards out. He controlled and lashed a left foot rocket high into the net giving Comas no chance. The goal seemed to jolt the Kings into action and on 51 minutes Turner,coming in from the left, was unlucky to see his right foot shot zip past the far angle of post and bar. Kettering responded and the hard working O’Connor saw a left foot shot drift wide. Mason Bush saw his speculative 58th minute shot drift wide before the Poppies nearly got a second. Gary Mulligan rose well to a free kick, beating Comas to the ball, and Connolly was in the right place to hack over the bar from a few feet out. Amoo’s cross was taken well by Paul White, who was largely a spectator at this juncture. Then Kelly did very well to tackle Amoo as he looked to go through on goal. Lewis Toomey, Kings’ leading scorer came off the bench replacing Bush and had a chance on 67 minutes- and White made his only save of the game- with his legs. It was a decent chance and a good stop. Kettering again took control to close the game out with Liam Bateman and Jorrin John replacing Canavan and Hall to change the formation to a solid looking unit. Rene Howe had a couple of chances late on. He shot over from a John cross and then fired just wide in added time as Kettering denied the visitors any sight on goal.

It’s now off to Dunstable on Tuesday before returning to Latimer Park on Saturday to play Chesham United.

Full Time: Kettering Town 1 - 0 Kings Langley

Attendance: 560

Poppies Elgoods Brewery Man of the Match selected by the Match Sponsors: Rene Howe

Klondike Number: 14011 – Hamilton Young wins £145

Team line-ups: Kettering Town: 1 Paul White 2 Nathan Hicks 3 Dom Langdon 4 Brett Solkhon (Captain) 5 Lewis Hornby 6 Gary Mulligan 7 Liam Canavan (12 Liam Bateman,75) 8 Aaron O’Connor 9 Rene Howe 10 James Hall (14 Jorrin John,76) 11 Jack Kelly

Subs Unused: 15 Paul Malone 16 Jack O’Connor 17 Jamie McAlindon

Yellow card: Langdon,45.

Kings Langley: 1 Xavi Comas 2 Richard Platt 3 Mayo Balogun 4 Gary Connolly 5 Jorell Johnson 6 Josh Coldicott-Stevens 7 Kieran Turner (15 James Verney,81) 8 Jack Pattison (12 Ollie Cox,81) 9 Michael King 10 Mason Bush (16 Lewis Toomey,58) 11 Jerry Amoo

Subs Unused: 14 Jack Waldren 17 Steve Ward

Yellow Cards: Pattison,59;Balogun,76;Cox,87.