Since Real Bedford have only lost thirteen games over the past three seasons, KTFC’s season double over The Pirates on Friday with a 2-1 victory has reinforced the clubs play-offs prospects. The result sent Poppies fans into a frenzy digging out their slide rules and calculators to work out the points permutations as the run-in continues this time, with a tricky away fixture against Stratford Town today, kick off 15:00.

‘The Bards’ secured a well earned draw away at Bishop’s Stortford on Friday. Since the turn of the year, Stratford performances have been a game of two halves with January and February providing two wins, five defeats and a draw. However, the Poppies encounter The Bards in a rich vein of form as Stratford are unbeaten in their past five games achieving three wins (4-2 against AFC Stamford; 0-3 versus Stourbridge; 2-0 at home to Royston) and two draws (1-1 away at Bishop’s Stortford and a creditable 2-2 home result against Quorn). This leaves Stratford, managed by Paul Davis, six places below KTFC in eleventh place, with fifty-four points from thirty-eight games with ten points separating the teams with KTFC having played one game less. In the form league, they are in third place over the past five games taking eleven points from a possible fifteen and in the comparative home standings reside in ninth place for the season taking thirty-four points from nineteen games.

KTFC, have lost only once in their last thirteen games and are unbeaten in our last five matches achieving four wins (2-1 versus third place Real Bedford; 2-5 away against Barwell; 3-1 against Quorn; 6-0 versus AFC Sudbury) together with a single draw (0-0 at home to Banbury United) scoring sixteen and conceding four. The Poppies have lost only twice in 2026.

Kettering are once again top of the in-form league, just in time for the run-in taking thirteen points from a possible fifteen in our past five matches and are sixth in the overall away table with thirty points from nineteen games. The Poppies are in playoff contention in the league with sixty-four points, with just two points separating four teams all vying for a top five finish.   

At the top of the table, league leaders Harborough Town looking to secure the Division title entertain Banbury United, second placed Spalding United travel to Barwell, Real Bedford host Bishop’s Stortford with Redditch United making the short trip to Worcester City. Of the chasing promotion pack, Quorn are at AFC Stamford, Halesowen Town have a Midlands derby against Bromsgrove and Needham Market travel to near neighbours AFC Sudbury.

Last time out in March, the Poppies won 2-0 at Latimer Park with goals from Bitemo and Isaacson. However, KTFC will face a different Bards side, playing with confidence and midfield swagger following a recent string of wins. It will be a tight and tough game with Stratford still in with an outside chance of the playoffs.

With five games left to play, three at home, there are a number of scenarios and permutations that could play out. However, one thing is for certain is that five wins would secure a fantastic end to the season and the Poppies will be seeking the first of those later today at the Arden Garages Stadium.

So let’s get behind Liam and the team as the exciting run in goes down to the wire.

Enjoy the game.

                                                      STRATFORD TOWN            

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2015-16        H        ESP             3-1     467     Popa, Weir-Daley, Carvalho (p)

                     A        ESP             1-2     418     Mulligan

                     A        RIC1             3-3*    132     Sandy, Baker-Richardson, Kinniburgh

2016-17        H        ESP              0-3     430

                     A        ESP              1-4     309     Baker

2017-18        H        ESP              2-0     508     Stevens, Howe

                     A        ESP              4-0     248     Solkhon (p), Richens, Stevens, O’Connor

2018-19        H        ESLSCP       5-1     660     Hoenes.2, Solkhon, O’Connor, Stanley

                     A        ESLSCP       3-1     396     Milnes, Stohrer, Kelly-Evans

                     A        CSSCC4       3-3+   116     Hoenes, Graham.2

2023-24        H        PISLPC        1-0     612     Jarvis

                     A        PISLPC        0-2     983

2024-25        H        PISLPC        1-1     912     York

                     A        PISLPC        3-3    1664    Stohrer, White, Powell.C

2025-25        H        PISLPC        2-0     745     Bitemo, Isaacson

* lost 4-5 on penalties

+ lost 1-4 on penalties

POPPIES WINS:     7                                      GOALS FOR:                      32

BARDS WINS:        6                                        GOALS AGAINST:              24      

DRAWS                  2

Most goals in a game for the Poppies v Stratford Town (2)

Luke Graham, Rhys Hoenes (2018-19)

Most goals in career Poppies v Stratford Town (3)

Rhys Hoenes

Played for both clubs (25)

Will Grocott, Ben Stephens, Justin Marsden, Nabil Shariff, Lewis Wilson, Wilson Carvalho, Ross Oulton, Joel Gyasi, Michael McGrath, Mo Sebbeh, Joe Curtis, Rhys Sharpe, Kyle Perry, Liam Hughes, Harry Reilly, Andre Wright, Liam Daley, Kieron Dawes, Sidik Atcha, Harry Reilly, Aksum White, Kai Williams, Lamine Sherif, Ryan Inman, Dan Jezeph.

Managers (1)

Carl Adams.

Managed both clubs (1)

Thomas Baillie.

League debuts (7)

Liam Canavan         05:08:15 (a)

Kaid Mohamed        27:08:16 (h)

Ethan Lee               15:04:17 (a)

Kalern Thomas        09:12:17 (h)

Ibby Akanbi             09:12:17 (h)

Matthew Foy           01:09:18 (a)

Arlo Doherty            09:03:24 (h) GK

Club debuts (3)

Rafael Garcia          27:10:15 (a) RIC1

Bleu McNeill            27:10:15 (a) RIC1

Arjan Hundal           08:01:19 (a) CSSCCQF

Kettering Town players sent off v Stratford Town (1)

Dion Kelly-Evans     2018-19 (a)

Stratford Town players sent-off v Kettering Town (1)

Finley Brennan        2024-25 (a)

Poppies players who have scored against Kettering Town (3)

Wilson Carvalho, Will Grocott, Nabil Shariff

STRATFORD TOWN

Manager                           Paul Davis

Ground                              Arden Garages Stadium

Nickname                         The Bards

Position in League           11^th – 54pts from 38 games

Top League scorer            15 – Owen James

FORM (last 5)

POPPIES                WWDWW     12pts

The Bards               WWWDD      11pts

STRATFORD TOWN SO FAR……