As predicted the outcome of the season has come down to the final game as Kettering Town travel to Suffolk for a last hurrah against Bury Town at the Getaway Cars Stadium on Saturday 25 April, kick off 15:00.

After a checkmate first half at Latimer Park, a bare boned squad, who were reduced to ten men following a petulant two minutes from Preston Bitemo, saw the Poppies achieve a creditable 0-0 draw after an exilerating conclusion to the match. Resolute defending and a robust midfield performance against play off contenders The Yeltz leaves Kettering Town’s season’s destiny still in their own hands.

The Blues had a comfortable 3-0 home win on Saturday against a already relegated Barwell side. Bury Town have only lost once in their past eleven matches which would be play off form if it were not for a difficult start to the season for the newly promoted side. In their past five games The Blues have achieved two wins (0-3 versus Barwell and 1-3 away against Leiston) and three draw (0-0 at home to AFC Stamford; 1-1 again at home versus Worcester City and 2-2 away at Harborough Town). These results leaves Bury Town, managed by Cole Skuse, seven places below KTFC in twelfth place, with fifty-eight points from forty-one games with eleven points separating the teams. In the form league, The Blues are in sixth place over the past five games taking nine points from a possible fifteen and in the comparative home standings, reside in fourteenth place taking twenty-nine points from twenty games.

Following another a combative draw on Saturday, KTFC have lost only twice in their last seventeen games and in our last five matches achieved two wins (2-1 at home against Worcester City and 2-1 versus Real Bedford) together with two draws (1-1 at home to Redditch United and 0-0 on Saturday versus Halesowen Town) and a 0-2 defeat away to Stratford Town scoring five and conceding three.

Kettering are tenth in the form league, taking eight points from a possible fifteen in our past five matches and are seventh in the overall away table with thirty points from twenty games. Following Saturday’s draw, The Poppies are fifth in the table in the last play-off place with sixty-nine points, with just three points separating four teams all vying for the fourth and fifth place finish.   

The final day of the season will settle the remaining playoff places and witness Harborough Town crowned champions as The Bees travel to AFC Stamford. Worcester City entertain Spalding Town who will finish in second place whatever the result, similarly, Real Bedford complete their campaign away at Bromsgrove Sporting in third place. Needham Market host mid table Banbury United and Halesowen are at home to already relegated AFC Sudbury. Redditch United have a difficult fixture as they host Quorn.

Last time out, the Poppies and the Blues shared an exciting 3-3 draw at Latimer Park with Bury Town taking an early two nil lead only to be pegged back with a Bitemo header in the first half and a second half penalty from Glennon. The Blues could have come away with a win if it were not for a ninety-fifth minute equaliser from Levi Andoh.

It’s a simple equation on Saturday. Win and we’re into the play offs. We may yet achieve a fourth-place finish dependent upon the Needham Market result. Lose and we are at the mercy of the outcome of the Halesowen and Redditch matches. A draw still maybe enough and goal difference may also play a part in the final places. However, three precious points will extend KTFC’s season to face the lottery of possibly two cup finals.

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

Enjoy the game.

BURY TOWN

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

1971-72        H        SLD1            2-1     1057   Goodhall, Gully

                     A        SLD1            1-0     480    Jacques

                     A        SLCQ           1-2     516    Jacques

2025-26        H        PISLPC        3-3     800    Bitemo, Glennon (p), Andoh

POPPIES WINS:      2                                      GOALS FOR:                      7

BLUES WINS:         1                                       GOALS AGAINST:               5

DRAWS                  1

Most goals in career Poppies v Bury Town (2)

Tony Jacques

Played for both clubs (5)

Ian Benjamin, David Bridges, Roy Essandoh, Bobby Mayes, Ian Stringfellow.

League debuts (1)

Ethan Fitzhugh        13:12:25 (h)

BURY TOWN

Manager                           Cole Skuse

Ground                             The Getaway Cars Stadium

Nickname                         The Blues

Position in league            12^th – 58pts from 41 games

Top League scorer           11 – Oliver Canfer & Jamie McGrath

FORM (last 5)

POPPIES                WLWDD       8pts

Poppies (away)      WDWWL      10pts

Bury T                     DDWDW       9pts

Bury T (home)         DWDDD        7pts

THE BLUES SO FAR……