With the league top spot changing hands faster than President Trump can sign Executive Orders, Kettering Town’s well deserved 3-0 win against Barwell on Saturday was long overdue. The team looked like they were exhibiting the form that preceded the Doncaster game albeit against a dangerous side that had lost the last six games in a row. However, with AFC Telford slipping to third place after a fraught 2-2 draw away to Bishop’s Stortford, Bedford claiming first place beating Bromsgrove 3-0 and Stratford moving into second place winning 3-0 against Royston, only four points separate the top five.

Stourbridge meanwhile, come into this game in a rich vein of form winning four of their last five games (Biggleswade 1-4; Hitchin 3-1; Harborough 0-1; Lowestoft 1-2) scoring ten goals conceding four goals. Arguably, these wins have come playing teams in the lower half of the division.

‘The Glassboys’, under the stewardship of Darryl Knights, lie 5th in the last six league overall form guide, 19th in the home (having picked up six points from a possible 18) and 9th in the away form league. However, despite KTFC beating them 2-0 in this seasons reverse fixture, Stourbridge have a poor set of results against top five sides. KTFC seem to have the knack this season of playing in form home sides as our recent visit to Banbury witnessed.

In contrast, whilst only four places and five points separate the two teams, KTFC, with four losses and two wins, have climbed to fourth and in the league form guide reached the dizzy heights of 17th have attaining 6 points from a possible 18 (5th place for home form and 14th position for away matches 5 points out of 18). Remarkably, the Poppies have four games in hand on Bedford and three points adrift of our near neighbours. With the race to the finish line becoming congested, the Poppies have a chance to break away from the pack. However, let’s hope we can improve our away track record on Saturday. Get Behind the Team. COYP!

STOURBRIDGE

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

1930-31        H        BDL              5-1     1008   Walker, Litchfield, Starsmore.3, Townsend

                     A        BDL              1-2                Starsmore

1969-70        H        FAT2            1-1     2100   Peck

                     A        FAT2R          2-1     3235   Gully, Daldy B

1971-72        H        SLD1N          2-0     1412   Webster, Ashby

                     A        SLD1N          1-1     609    Atkinson

1974-75        H        SLP              0-1     2250

                     A        SLP              4-2     1051   Large, Horsfall, Clayton.2

1975-76        H        SLP              2-0     1256   Goodhall, Wardrop

                     A        SLP              0-0     450

2012-13        H        ESP*            0-1     517

                     A        ESP              0-0     486

2018-19        H        ESLSPC       4-2     701    Meikle, Richens, Holman, Kelly

                     A        ESLSPC       2-1     1734   Solkhon, Knowles

                     H        FAT1Q         2-0     409    Toseland, Hoenes

2023-24        H        PISLPC        2-4     895    Bennett, Lewthwaite

                     A        PISLPC        1-2     699    Andrade

2024-25        H        PISLPC        2-0     1551   Noel-Williams, Hooper

                     * Played at Corby Town

POPPIES WINS:  9   GOALS FOR:  32

GLASSBOYS WINS:         5                             GOALS AGAINST:              18

DRAWS                            4

Most goals in a game for the Poppies v Stourbridge (3)

Jackie Starsmore (1930-31)

Most goals in career Poppies v Stourbridge (4)

Jackie Starsmore

Played for both clubs (14)                                                  

Goalkeepers

Richard Massey, Anthony Robinson, James McPike, Henry Eze, Alastair Worby, Exodus Geohaghon, Will Grocott, Michael McGrath, Ellis Denney, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Marshall Willock, Liam Daly, George Forsyth.

Managers (1)

Liam McDonald.

League debuts (6)

Joel Gyasi               05:09:12 (a)

Joe Lamplough        05:09:12 (a)

Tom Knowles         26:01:19 (a)  Scored on debut

Luca Miller              12:08:23 (h)

Tai Williams             12:08:23 (h)

Gary Hooper           22:10:24 (h)  Scored on debut

Kettering players who made their 100^th appearance v Stourbridge (1)

Rhys Sharpe           2023-24 (a)

STOURBRIDGE

Manager      – Liam McDonald

Ground        – War Memorial Athletic Ground

Position in League – 8^th (45pts from 29 games)

Leading League scorer – (6) Ethan Freemantle

Form            (last 5)          WWWLW     12pts (Equal 2^nd in the form guide).

Form away   (last 5)          WWWLL       9pts

Form home (last 5)          WLDLD        5pts

THE GLASSBOYS SO FAR…