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Match Report

Evo-Stik League South Premier Division Central

Tuesday 15thJanuary 2019   7:45pm

Referee: Elliot Kaye  Assistants: Thomas Burt and Michael Butterworth

Kettering in red and black kicked off defending the Tin Hat with the visitors in all green. 

Biggleswade won the first corner after eight minutes and with Kettering's recent vulnerability coupled with the visitor's plethora of tall players the home supporters were anxious. The ball was swung in from the right hand side and was punched behind by Paul White. He effectively dealt with the follow up corner. Four minutes later Aaron O'Connor was dropping deep to collect a clearance but the ball ended up with an attacker who fired a powerful shot at goal which had White flying full stretch across his goal but the attempt went wide.  Biggleswade had started well and Kettering were having to absorb plenty of pressure in the first twenty minutes. Kettering were relying on long balls forwards for Hoenes to chase but the Wader's keeper was quickly out of his area on a couple of occasions to clear any danger. Slightly against the run of play  Kettering managed to take the lead. As Marcus Kelly lined up to take an in swinging corner from the right Hoenes ran out towards the flag. He was followed by two defenders and Kelly played a ball towards the near post and the space created. Dan Holman ran into the space and stooped to head the ball into the net beating the Sam Donkin at his near post. 1-0 Kettering 25 mins.

Two minutes later Kettering had a chance to extend their lead. Hoenes chased a ball played down the right hand channel. He won the foot race and pulled the ball back to Lindon Meikle on the edge of the penalty area. He held the ball momentarily before rolling it forward into the path of Dion Kelly-Evans who had run though the gap between the two Kettering players. His shot crossed the face of the goal and passed just the wrong side of the far post but a Biggleswade player must have got a significant touch on it as a corner was awarded.  

On the half hour, before the Biggleswade keeper could take a free kick awarded for offside the linesman flagged to attract the referee's attention to inform him of the verbal abuse directed at him by the keeper. The referee talked to but did not see fit to caution him.  Dan Holman was presented with a chance when  Tom Smith got the ball caught under his feet and the ball squirmed to Holman but he put is shot over the bar. DKE had to alert to clear a dangerous Biggleswade long throw into Kettering's penalty area which eluded everyone but him. Kettering should have doubled their lead just before half-time but a goal wards header by Declan Towers was well saved by Donkin 

Half Time: Kettering Town 1  Biggleswade Town 0

Biggleswade restarted the game and instantly won an early corner. It was a poorly taken kick and fell straight to Meikle but he rushed his clearance and with little power and poor direction sent the ball straight to Matt Ball lurking on the edge of the area. He then had the simple job of picking his spot which he duly did.  1-1 Biggleswade 47 mins.  

The game had barely restarted when Solomon Mwaboukei made a horrendous challenge on a Kettering player. It was an act of stupidity as it occurred about a yard in from the touch-line just in front of the Biggleswade bench with his whole team between him and their goal. It was a late lunge, out of control and a raised foot made even more obvious by the bright yellow soles of his boots.  The referee did not hesitate in showing  yellow but the visiting players still saw fit to contest the decision which the referee allowed to continue for quite some time. Three minutes later Smith Biggleswade's tall centre back limped off to be replaced by the even taller Jordan Gent. Down to ten men Biggleswade were performing even better than their first half performance. Joe White header over when he should have done better after a free kick into the box was headed onto him by an errant Towers. Biggleswade were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous area when McNamara fell into Stanley when chasing a forward ball. It proved to be a very dangerous area as Ben Walster struck a great free-kick leaving White no where close to saving it. 1-2 Biggleswade 59 mins. 

Kettering were desperate to get back into the game and Hoenes showed his frustration by petulantly throwing the ball into the ground when a dubious off-side decision was given against him. He received  a caution for showing dissent. It seemed that the referee considered this worthy of a card whereas a late challenge from behind by Jack Bradshaw minutes earlier on Rhys which left him in pain on the floor didn't even warrant an admonishing word. Kettering's uphill challenge became a mountain after 66 minutes. A hopeful high ball was played forward which Craig Stanley jumped for. He failed to clear the ball and only succeeded in taking the pace of it for Joe White to race Paul White to the ball. Joe won and got a toe poke on the ball but enough to steer it past Paul and into the net. 1-3 Biggleswade 66 mins

Kettering made their first change with twenty minutes to go with Ben Toseland replacing Gary Stohrer who had not performed to is usual high standards. Biggleswade made their second change with Bell replacing Ball after 78 minutes. In between the bookings Joe White was cautions for pulling Holman's shirt. Kettering seemed unwilling to take advantage of the player advantage and DKE spent long periods standing all alone in space on the right wing watching a continuous flow of high balls played towards Biggleswade's central defenders who won almost every header. With ten minutes to go a Kettering player finally won an aerial challenge in Biggleswade's half when Craig Stanley managed to get his head to a corner but it was directed straight at Donkin. Many of the large crowd garnered by home wins over Diamonds and Tamworth had left before Hoenes picked up his second caution and red card when penalised for simulation. After the disappointment of this game the attendance of the next two home games will be closely scrutinised. Even fewer were left in the ground when Kelly managed to pierce Biggleswade resolute defence bundling the ball home from three yards.2-3 Kettering 94 mins.  

It was too little too late as there was barely time to restart the game and one of Kettering's games in hand over leaders Stourbridge had brought no reward.

Full Time: Kettering Town 2  Biggleswade Town 3

Kettering Town yellow cards:  Hoenes dissent red card: Hoenes2nd Yelllow Simulation

Biggleswade yellow cards:  White- Shirt pull red card: Nwaboukei -Dangerous play

Attendance: 617 

Elgoods Brewery Kettering Town - FIXAUTO Man-of-the-Match –  Marcus Kelly.

Klondike winner-  Martin Turner - £175 – ticket no 4512.