KTFC are back on the road this Saturday with a visit to Lye Meadow the home of Alvechurch FC for Week 10 of the league campaign.

This has the hallmarks of being a cracker as its second versus third in the league.

Whilst being subject to an early 1-2 FA Cup exit at the hands of Chelmsford City, ‘The Church’ secured a place in the FA Trophy First Round after beating Basford 5-4 on penalties at Lye Meadow. Alvechurch have had an impressive start to the season and are in fourth place in the league form guide after five matches with ten points and a 6:2 goal difference. In stark contrast, KTFC reside in sixteenth place with five points and a 7:8 ratio. Only losing once in their last eight games, Alvechurch’s league form under Tim Flowers has improved each match only losing once in their past five league outings (1-2 at home against Stratford) with one draw (0-0 at Worcester) achieving three wins (away at Bury Town 0-1; 0-3 at Royston Town; and home wins against Halesowen 0-1; 4-2 versus Barwell) leaving ‘The Church’ in third place in the league with the same points total (seventeen) and game difference (six) as KTFC.

Kettering Town, who thankfully do not have the play on another 3G surface but face the Lye Meadow slope, have only won two games in our last eight and are out of both cup competitions following the 0-1 defeat at St Ives Town on Saturday. However, the Poppies league form, especially away from home, has been promising and whilst there have been defeats to top six opposition in the form of a 2-4 loss to Spalding United, and a subsequent 1-0 defeat against Harborough Town, KTFC go into Saturday’s fixture with renewed optimism. The squad has been galvanised with new signings Micah Anthony and Anthony Stewart.

Of the top five teams, league leaders The Bees, who are still in both cup competitions as are Spalding United, play Altringham away in the Emirates FA Cup, Spalding are away to South Shields on Saturday in the same competition with fifth placed Bishop’s Stortford at home against ninth placed Redditch United.

Poppies have a good record against Alvechurch wining four of the last six games latterly last season’s 0-1 win at Lye Meadow after a hard fought match. However, given Alvechurch’s new found form and with other rivals in cup action, it’s a chance for one of the teams to make a statement of intent in terms of promotion. It will be a cracker so get behind the Poppies.

Enjoy the game.

UTP!

Season V         Comp              F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2018-19           H         ESLSPC          1-2       1567    Stanley

            A         ESLSPC          3-1       359     Hoenes.2 (1p), Towers

2023-24           H         PISLPC           2-0       783     Yussuf.2

                        A         PISLPC           1-1       321     Miller

2024-25           H         PISLPC          2-1       859     York, Noel-Williams

                        A         PISLPC           1-0       363     Miller

POPPIES WINS:                  4                                  GOALS FOR:                        10

THE CHURCH WINS:          1                                  GOALS AGAINST:                  5

DRAWS                                 1

POPPIES STATS:  

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

Rhys Hoenes (2018-19), Adi Yussuf (2023-24)

Played for both clubs (14)

Goalkeepers

Steve Stott, Nick Wright, Orrin Pendley, Michael McGrath, Kyle Perry, Khaellem Bailey-Nicholls, Dan Jezeph, Kobe Chong, Kemy Agustien, Omari Sterling-James, Sam McLintock, Kyle Storer, Connor Stanley, Archie Crowther.

Poppies players who have scored against Kettering Town (1)

Archie Crowther         2024-25 (h)

Alvechurch players sent off v Kettering Town (1)

Mackenzie Lamb        2023-24 (a)

ALVECHURCH

Manager                                            Tim Flowers

Ground                                               Lye Meadow

Nickname                                           The Church

Position in League                            3^rd – 17pts from 9 games

Top League scorer                            3 Joseph Marquez

League Form last 5               LWWWD       10pts

The Church so far….

* Won on penalties