Kettering Town v St Ives Town

Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Saturday 1st November 2025  15:00

Referee:  Joshua Crofts              Assistants: Oliver Hollyoak and Paul McVey

Today marks the first competitive of Liam McDonald match as manager of Kettering Town and his seventh day in the hot seat. Having watched the team in it’s previous three matches, Liam could have no illusions about the magnitude of the task ahead of him. Appointed on Sunday, Liam has taken charge of two training sessions at Latimer Park and signed two players for the club. Apart from wanting to impress their new manager, the incumbent squad members would be wanting to produce a good performance in revenge of St Ives knocking Kettering out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle. Will Glennon would be hoping to shine in front of his previous club. By coincidence, next week’s opponents Quorn were responsible for Kettering’s exit from the FA Cup another case of the team wanting to redress the balance.

St Ives currently sit in 13^th place four points behind Kettering but with a game in hand. They come into today’s game on the back of a 2-0 home win over Alvechurch with the four games prior to that resulting in two draws and two defeats.

Liam McDonald’s first starting XI for Kettering would feature both of the players he has brought to the club in his first week. Blaine Rowe, signed from Stourbridge, would start at right back with Aksum White reverting to the bench. Kai Williams, signed from Hereford, would take the 9 shirt to lead the attack with Wes York making way. The other 9 players would be those that started against Needham Market. To accommodate White and York on the bench, Romeo Ebondo was omitted from the squad and Anthony Stewart has moved to Peterborough Sports.

One former Poppy featured for the Saints, the formidable Michael Richens.

The afternoon had weak sunshine but this would deteriorate through the game as one would expect in November but with little wind to spoil the proceedings. Once again, the pitch looked to be in very good nick.

St Ives Town in an all purple/pink psychedelic strip kicked off attacking the Tin Hat.

Kettering showed attacking intent from the off and a passing move by Fatadjo and Stanley led to St Ives conceding a throw-in close to the corner flag on the open side. New signing Blaine Rowe showed a new addition to the Poppies armoury, an effective long throw-in. The ball was hurled into the visitor’s penalty area before being deflected behind for a corner inside the second minute. Taylor cleanly caught Lewis’ corner.

A couple of minutes later, Kettering were awarded a free kick following a foul by Richens on Flynn. The kick was played forward for Kai Williams to run onto. He collected the ball and advanced deep into the St Ives half before squaring the ball but it was cut out by his namesake Jordan Williams and cleared.

Six minutes had been played when St Ives played the ball over the top-down Kettering’s right towards Alexandrou. Glennon was guilty of letting the forward get goal side of him and was guilty of man handling the St Ives man in attempting to dispossess him. The Referee saw no offence or allowed play to continue thinking that the visitor’s had gained an advantage as Alexandrou got away from Glennon. The forward declined the opportunity to shoot but was closed down by the covering Forsyth and was forced to turn inside where he attempted to square the ball but this was cut out by Lewis and cleared.

As early as the tenth minute Richens was guilty of ‘clothes lining’ Fatadjo as the little man ran past him. It was that late he might have still had a Kettering shirt on. Mr Crofts was not impressed and gave Michael a talking to pointing out an earlier indiscretion and leaving the  St Ives captain in no doubt that any further misbehaviour would result in a caution.

Just after the quarter hour, Kettering moving the ball down the stand side crossed into the middle. It struck a defender and looped up into the air.  A second defender got a head to the ball but failed to get any distance on the clearance and it was pounced on by Rowe. He nodded the ball forward and chased after it. Blaine reached it before it went behind and cut the ball low back into the middle. It trundled towards Glennon eight yards out, but the defender miscued his shot and scuffed it into the hands of Taylor with the goal at his mercy.

The game got it’s first yellow card after eighteen minutes when right back Ethan Creary was booked after scything down Callum Powell as he ran by the defender. The free kick was lifted into the goalmouth by Lewis. Taylor misjudged the flight of the ball and it passed over his outstretched arms but a defender behind him headed the ball away before it went behind for a corner. The set piece was taken short but the ball when delivered into the middle went behind for a goal kick.

After twenty minutes, Kettering should have taken the lead as St Ives were guilty of sloppiness in their own penalty area. Idehen, close to the by-line, played the ball to the feet of Njie facing his own goal about 10 yards outside of the penalty area. He was swiftly closed down by Fatadjo who panicked the St Ives man in trying to feed the ball back to his keeper. The pass was under hit and was latched onto by Williams leaving him 1v1 against the keeper. Kai took a couple of touches and with the whole of the goal to aim at decided to try and beat the keeper at the near post which was fairly well covered by Taylor rather than shoot across the goal into the gaping space at the far post. With the opportunity to mark his Kettering debut with a goal, Kai missed the target and sent his shot wide of the post.

Four minutes later, Kettering spurned another great chance to take the lead. Starting with the ball at the feet of Alexander the host’s strung together a series of fourteen passes as they moved the ball up-field and from one wing to the other as they patiently waited to piece the solid St Ives defence. The move culminated with Thanoj lofting a ball out towards the corner flag on the stand side. Fatadjo controlled the ball with a wonderful touch and raced past the stationary Creary. Reaching the by-line Ismael drove in a low ball towards the near post. Williams made for the ball but failed to make contact but in doing so drew his marker out of position and allowed the ball to run across the penalty area to the open Forsyth. George, about ten yards out with all the goal to aim at, hit a first-time side foot but sent the ball over the Prosaw stand when it looked easier to score.

With twenty-seven minutes gone, St Ives won a free kick some 25yards from goal just left of centre when Rowe was a bit too eager going in for a tackle on Hickinson. Richens took the responsibility for the kick but sent it harmlessly a couple of feet over the bar.

Three minutes later, St Ives came very close to breaking the deadlock. A ball out of defence by the visitor’s was met by the head of Forsyth who sent it back in the direction it had come from. It was picked up by Meade just inside his own half and carried forward by him into the space in front of him. With little support to either side, and spying Alexander on his 6-yard line, he attempted an audacious chip from 35 yards. Back peddling Jason needed all of his 6′ 5” to reach up and with his very fingertips touch the ball over for a corner. The set piece was not dealt with by Kettering and the ball fell to Richens who tried an overhead kick. Michael did not cleanly connect with the ball and it trickled through to Alexander.

St Ives were enjoying their best spell of the half and shortly after Creary looked to put in  a dangerous ball into the goalmouth from the corner of the penalty area but the ball was overhit and it drifted behind wide of the far post.

With seven minutes left in the half St Ives won a corner on the open side. The kick was directed towards the near post where Alexandrou was free to flick the ball on towards the far post. The ball was partially cleared but only to Richens lurking on the edge of the penalty area from where he sent a firm shot goalwards. Powell was on hand to block the shot and chase the loose ball to clear the threat.

Kettering were still looking to get forward at every opportunity and a ball was played long for Williams to chase and Kai showed his pace outstripping the defender to reach the ball but sent his shot wide. Shortly after, Fatadjo and Stanley linked up well going down Kettering’s right. Ismael and Connor swapped passes resulting in a fierce Stanley shot which was blocked by Idehen before testing Taylor. The rebound was collected by Fatadjo and Kettering kept the pressure on passing the ball around the edge of the St Ives penalty area before the move came to a halt when a ball lifted in by Thanoj was too close to Taylor.

There would be one additional minute played at the end of the regulation forty-five and in that time, St Ives were awarded a free kick close to the corner flag on the stand side when Flynn brought down Meade. The ball was lifted into the middle where Alexander failed to take the ball cleanly under extreme pressure from Richens but Thanoj was on hand to clear the ball to bring  the half to a close.

 Half Time: Kettering Town 0   St Ives Town 0

Neither side made any changes at half time.    9 15

St Ives had the first shot of the second inside it’s first minute but Cross’s shot was high and wide.

Kettering responded with a series of attacking moves but the final decisive action to cap the move were absent. Firstly, Thanoj lifted a ball forward down the stand side for Fatadjo to race onto a deliver a ball into the box towards Kai Williams but, his shadow Jordan Williams, shields the ball and the opening was gone. Shortly after, a long throw-in from Rowe was nodded on by Forsyth at the near post. Waiting at the back post was Fatadjo but Meade reacted quicker and took a swing at the ball and made enough contact to alter it’s path deflecting it into Ismael and bounce of him for a goal kick.

Fatadjo was involved again when a ball played out from the back was headed by Ismael towards  Kai Williams inside the penalty area but Jordan Williams sticking close to forward managed to get a foot in deflecting the ball back to his keeper.

Ten minutes into the half and Glennon received a yellow card for an innocuous looking foul. Two minutes later he was joined in the book by Cross for hauling down Flynn with a tackle that would not have looked out of place at Twickenham as Shane was going by him. St Ives looked determined to hold on for the point by far means or foul content to stop any break by Kettering by cutting down the attacker.

This was evidenced just after the hour mark when Miles was rightfully booked for scything down Stanley as Connor passed him with the ball. It would be Miles last action of the game as two minutes later he was substituted to be replaced by Jiah Medrano.

Medrano continued from where the man he replaced and two minutes after coming on received a yellow card for bringing Williams down just outside the penalty area. Before the kick could be taken, St Ives made their second substitution with Alfie Shepherd replacing Kellan Hickinson. Glennon’s set piece was very poor clearing the goal and the Tin Hat by a considerable distance.

Kettering remained on the front foot with both Rowe and Powell delivering dangerous looking balls into the St Ives penalty area but the visitor’s defence stood firm as rain started to fall at Latimer Park.

With just under twenty minutes to go, Fatadjo went to the floor, a cumulation of the attention he has received from the St Ives players through the afternoon. Alexander put the ball into touch in order that Ismael could receive treatment. Michael Hunter assessed the damage and the conclusion was that Fatadjo could take no further punishment and no further part in the game and left the pitch to be replaced by Wes York.

Kettering continued to have the majority of the play and with a quarter of an hour to go Powell drove forward down the open side. Finding his way blocked, he touched the ball outside to Flynn who squared the ball to Thanoj some 30 yards from goal. Andi feinted past Njie and well positioned in space took a shot from distance. It unfortunately clipped Jordan Williams on it’s way which took most the pace of the ball and deflected it into the waiting hands of Taylor.

On seventy-six minutes, St Ives made their final change with Richens departing to make way for the introduction Jahrel McKoy. Shortly after, Kettering won a corner on the open side when a probing run by Powell went behind off a defender. Lewis’ kick was headed clear by a defender but only to York on the edge of the penalty area. His firm shot was blocked behind Meade. This time the corner from Lewis was slightly longer but was confidently claimed by Taylor.

Powell was starting to have success down Kettering’s left wing running at the right back who was on a yellow card. Callum drove almost to the by-line before screwing the ball diagonally back into the middle but slightly behind York. Wes collected the ball but was immediately pounced on by two defenders and all three players desperately tried to get positive touch on the ball in a scene reminiscent of under 7’s football. Kai Williams and another defender joined the fray and the ball broke away from the cluster of players but Kai’s shot was blocked behind by a defender for another corner which was once again imperiously collected by Taylor.

As the final whistle approached, St Ives started to look dangerous. Medrano floated a ball into the middle from the stand side. It was nodded on by Alexandrou and Shepherd running in on the far side wasted one of St Ives few chanced by sending his first time shot high and wide. 

With under five minutes to go Flynn took a knock from Medrano just in front of the Kettering bench with an inadvertent kick. The Poppies took no chances on the young defender, recently returned from a lengthy injury, and replaced him with Aksum White.

Alexander, who had a quiet second half, was called upon a couple of times in the closing stages. Firstly, a St Ives long throw into the Kettering penalty area caused an anxious moment as it was failed to be cleared cleanly being scrambled out of the area. It fell to Meade who tried a shot from 20 yards but his effort lacked pace and was straight at Jason. He was tested more with the visitor’s next effort when Shepherd cut in from the stand side and was given time and space to send in a shot from the same sort of distance but this had pace and was dipping wickedly forcing Alexander to tip the ball over for a corner. This was headed clear but was returned straight back with a shot from Njie. However, it defected behind for another corner. This time Alexander was fouled as he came to collect the cross and a free kick was awarded to the hosts.

With the rain starting to come down with more force, the ninety minutes came to an end as Kettering tried one last change to take three points as Powell was replaced by Eddie Oppong who would have the added five minutes to try and influence the game.

St Ives had a chance in the ninety-first minute as Creary ran through the left side of the Kettering defence before cutting the ball inside to McKoy but the substitute did not make a good contact on the ball sending a weak effort straight at Alexander.

Full Time: Kettering Town 0  St Ives Town 0

A better performance from Kettering, especially in the first half, and if the team had converted some of the chances that they generated they would have been comfortably ahead at half time. Failure to produce the goods in front of goal is one of the key problems facing Mr McDonald as a return of 3 goals in seven matches is no recipe for success. Annoyingly, that return is only equal to that of Kai Fifield at Quorn in only 4 appearances. The defence appears to be gaining in confidence but they are heavily reliant on the performances of Alexander between the sticks. The acquisition of Williams and Rowe shows promise but it will take a few games for them to gel with their new teammates. St Ives produced little attacking threat to gauge Blaine’s defensive qualities.

Kettering Town yellow cards: Glennon – foul

St Ives Town yellow cards: Creary, Cross, Miles, Idehen – fouls,

Attendance: 991

Kettering Town M-of-the-M selected by City Electrical Factors – Ismael Fatadjo:

Another display of 100% effort from the diminutive midfielder who is constantly in motion. For such a player, standing 5′ 8”, he wins many balls in the air when confronted by taller opponents. He was an integral part of the midfield all afternoon. This fact was noted by St Ives who resorted to foul play to halt him which eventually led to him having to be substituted due to the knocks he received.