Kettering Town v Stourbridge

Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Saturday 29th November 2025  15:00

Referee:  Matthew Jackson              Assistants: Kurt Bartlett and William Doyle

Despite having been in the hot seat at Kettering for over a month, today is only his second match at Latimer Park due to a run of four consecutive games on the road. That sequence started with a satisfying 2-0 win at Quorn but the following three matches saw three defeats scoring a solitary goal and conceding seven. These results have seen the team slip down the table and currently sit in twelfth place. Today’s opponents Stourbridge find themselves currently sitting in nineteenth place occupying one of the four relegation spots with a worrying 8 points gap between them and the team above them and will therefore be looking to emulate the mid-week exploits of bottom club Stamford and take points from Kettering.

Liam McDonald would have the additional incentive to deliver a win today having managed Stourbridge last season. Kettering would line up with a back four with Blaine Rowe at right back looking to shine having recently signed from Stourbridge. Levi Andoh would return to the starting XI alongside George Forsyth due to the continued illness of Will Glennon with no place in the squad for Theo Robinson. The midfield would see the return of Alfie Lewis after missing four matches after picking up an injury in the Hillier Cup game. Preston Bitemo would drop to the bench. Up front there was a Kai swap with Fifield moving to the bench and Williams getting the start. James Clifton would make his return to Latimer Park with both ground and pitch much  changed since he last played for Kettering. He would be joined up front by new signing Eddie Panter from Bedford Town. Both Eddie Oppong and Connor Stanley were omitted from the squad. It was also announced in the week that defender Shane Flynn has left the club.

For the visitor’s, a very recent Poppy would feature at right back, Aksum White, who joined the club in September, made seven appearances and then was released following the signing of Rowe.

Persistent rain had fallen in Burton Latimer through the morning but the afternoon was dry at 3 o’clock but the sky was cluttered with dark clouds threatening rain. The floodlights were on from the kick-off as a precaution however the sun was doing it’s best to brighten the day and proved a nuisance hampering viewing to those on the open side of the ground due to being so low in the sky. Due to the amount of rain experienced in the past week the pitch looked heavy but playable but with the possibility of cutting up. It is a testament to the investment that has been put into the pitch and it’s drainage that in recent past this game would have fallen foul of the weather and been postponed.

Stourbridge in a white shirt with a red and a black sleeve, mirroring their club crest, red shorts and black socks kicked off attacking the Tin Hat. The visitor’s showed that they had not travelled from the West Midlands content to return home with a 0-0 draw and had the first attack of the game after four minutes but it was easily dealt with by the Kettering defence.

Four minutes later and a careless clearance by Andoh saw the ball go straight to the feet of Dom Lewis who quickly fed the ball to Fletcher who fired in the first shot of the game from range. Alexander was equal to it though but chose not to attempt to catch the wet ball and punched the ball clear to Coyle. The Bedford loanee looked up and seeing his former Bedford teammate Panter ahead of him played the ball forward. Kettering moved the ball well with a string of passes moving the ball from one wing to the other where pressure from Williams caused Portman, the left back, to concede a throw-in midway inside the Stourbridge half on the open side. Rowe delivered a long throw into the penalty area where Clifton contested for the high ball with Reeves. The ball broke James’ way and enabled him to take the ball to the byline before sending a low cross into the Stourbridge goalmouth. It passed tantalisingly close to the onrushing Panter but evaded him to pass across the face of the goal emerging untouched on the stand side where White cleared the ball.

Stourbridge responded positively and, shortly after, were awarded a free kick ten yards inside Kettering’s half led to a shooting opportunity for Fletcher from just outside the penalty area. Alexander dived but the ball was blocked before it reached him by Coyle putting his body in the way and the ball was cleared.

Kettering then proceeded to have a twenty-minute spell of controlling the game increasing pressure on the Stourbridge defence with the visitors struggling to exit their own half. Panter was having a good contest with Stourbridge’s top scorer centre half Sumnall. Panter beat the tall defender to deliver a good cross to the far post but it proved just too high for Clifton to reach and drifted behind for a goal-kick. Panter was getting the upper hand in his personal battle and Sumnall had to resort to barging him in the back and conceding a free kick with Mr Jackson advising the defender to modify his behaviour to prevent him receiving a caution. The free kick was wasted though.

The game did not have to wait long before the card was produced following another foul by Sumnall as he was skirted around by Fatadjo earning Ismael a barge in the back to knock him to the floor. Fatadjo lifted the ball towards the far post where it was headed clear but Kettering retained possession but could not force an attempt on goal.

On twenty-six minutes, Williams burst forward with the ball into the Stourbridge penalty area taking the ball to the by-line before turning goalwards. He skipped past one defender but went to the floor, whether by contact or a slip, but bounced back onto his feet to continue his charge. With little support inside he took the only option and fired a shot towards goal but it was rising from when it left his foot and passed harmlessly over the bar.

Stourbridge appeared to have weathered the storm and just before the half hour mark a rare attack by the visitor’s resulted in the awarding of a free kick right on the edge of Kettering’s penalty area as Lewis made the Referee’s decision easy. With Alexander anxiously positioning his six man wall any tension was quickly relieved as Verma lifted the ball over the wall and the Tin Hat.

Kettering were having the best of it and delivering the ball into the Stourbridge penalty area with regularity but with no end result with Charlie Price in the Stourbridge goal being untroubled.

With just under ten minutes left in the half Mr Jackson had cause to caution a second Stourbridge player when Portman scythed Williams down who was gaining the upper hand over the left back. The resulting free kick from Thanoj was lifted into the penalty area where it was cleared but only straight to Andi. His second attempt was met by Forsyth who, managed to get his head to the ball but could not direct the ball with any purpose as the ball looped off his head and into the arms of Price.

 With just over five minutes left in the half, a cross from White was too long and looked to have been shepherded behind by Andoh on the open side but pressure from Bishop saw Mr Jackson give the benefit of the doubt to the visitors giving them a corner on the open side. The set piece from Rowe was a good one and Stourbridge’s captain Reeves managed to slip his marker and get in a powerful header but it lacked accuracy and passed wide of Alexander’s right-hand post. It would prove to be an expensive miss for Stourbridge as the complexion of the match had changed totally before they would threaten the Kettering goal again.

Kettering threatened the Stourbridge goal twice in the final minutes. Ffirstly, Rowe delivered a good ball into the near post where Clifton and a defender challenged for the ball resulting in a Kettering corner. The set piece was partially cleared but Kettering retained possession and Fatadjo threaded a great ball through to Williams who sent a low ball into the goal mouth but no decisive touch could be made. Kettering recycled the ball sending it back to Williams who tried a lifted ball towards the far post. Clifton got a head on the ball knocking it down to Panter but he saw his shot blocked by a defender as Stourbridge defended desperately before clearing the ball to the halfway line.

In the one additional minute added, Stourbridge forced a corner when a long-range shot glanced off a defender. Alexander was not troubled as the ball was turned wide of the post with the Referee calling play to a halt before the goal kick was taken.

  Half Time: Kettering Town 0   Stourbridge 0

Neither side made any changes as Kettering were out early ready to press on. The hosts kicked off attacking a crowded Tin Hat hoping to suck the ball in. Kettering started the second half as they had for most of the first pressing forward. Williams was continuing to have success down the right linking up well with Fatadjo and Rowe while Panter was impressive against White.

Five minutes into the second half and Coyle on the half-way line picked out Fatadjo midway inside the Stourbridge half. Ismael moved forward with the ball and linked up with Williams who had swapped wings with Panter. Kai darted forward taking two defenders with him but the ball hit his heel and the ball broke to Clifton some twelve yards from goal centrally placed. James lifted the ball over Price who tried to claw the ball away with his left hand but could only direct the ball onto the inside of the post on it’s way to the back of the net despite the attempt of a defender to hook it away on the line. 1-0 Kettering 50 mins

Kettering were looking to increase the lead and four minutes later a ball was played forward down the open side towards Panter. Eddie looked to go past White but the defender managed to stretch out a leg and push the ball into touch, as both players tumbled to the floor where they engaged in a spot of Greco-Roman wrestling before their bout was ended by the Referee, who after explaining the rules to both players, allowed them to play on with no further sanction. Before the throw was taken, Stourbridge made a double substitution with White and Solanke being withdrawn in favour of Shay Willock and Brad Bood. The throw-in was taken long by Rowe into the penalty area but was sent just wide by Clifton.

Just before the hour mark Kettering doubled their lead when Clifton nodded the ball onto Williams who had drifted inside from his wide position to collect the ball just outside the penalty area with time and space to pick his spot and thundered the ball home with his left foot leaving Price helpless.  2-0 Kettering 59 mins

Two minutes later, it was almost three as Thanoj lifted the ball through to Panter who beat the offside trap and beat a player before pulling the ball back to Clifton in the middle. It was slightly behind James and stretching behind him could only put the ball over the bar from close range.

Kettering were not to be denied though as two minutes later they scored their third. Coyle looking to switch play played a cross-field ball which looked to be going out for a Stourbridge throw-in. Williams however refused to give up on it and kept it in bounds and drove forwards into the Stourbridge penalty area. On reaching the by-line he cut the ball back into the feet of Panter who could not miss from close range. 3-0 Kettering 65 mins

Kettering still wanted more and less than a minute after the goal Clifton was bearing down on goal only to be stopped by a fine tackle from Reeves. A couple of minutes later, Stourbridge made their third change with Aston Villa loanee Trai-Varn Mulley coming on for Harvey Portman. Shortly after, Stourbridge playing for pride won a corner. It was taken short before being swung into the goalmouth but ended up going behind for a goal kick.

With twenty minutes to go Kettering made their first substitutions with goalscorers James Clifton and Kai Williams being replaced by Callum Powell and Kai Fifield. The two oncoming players went onto the flanks with Panter moving into the central position. Eddie showed that he is as adept to playing the centre forward role. Following a foul on Thanoj, the free kick was lifted into the Stourbridge penalty area where Panter latched onto it and fired in a fierce shot trying to beat Price at his near post. The keeper produced a good save to bat the ball behind for a corner on the stand side. Fatadjo’s corner was delivered  a fair distance out from the goal where it was met by the head of Andoh about ten yards out. Levi turned the ball past Price into the corner of the goal for his first goal for the club. 4-0 Kettering 74 mins

Even the scoreboard was stunned by the scoreline and took some time to register the fourth goal. Stourbridge had not thrown the towel in though and with just under fifteen minutes to play won a corner on the stand side. For once, Alexander was not dominant in his own goal area and failed to collect the ball into the middle. It fell to Sumnall who stabbed the ball towards the corner of the goal but a fine goal-line clearance from Rowe preserved the clean sheet.

With the game as good as won Kettering made another double substitution withdrawing Andi Thanoj and Eddie Panter in favour of loanees Preston Bitemo and Harrison Iwunze.

Kettering made it five with nine minutes to go when a goal kick from Alexander was headed back towards his own goal by Sumnall. Fifield darted after the loose ball but reached it as a defender did and the ball squirmed away but to the feet of Powell. Callum controlled the ball and patiently waited for the opportunity to shoot past a defender and the keeper to make it five. 5-0 Kettering 81 mins

With just over five minutes to go Kettering made their final substitution with Wes York supposed to replace Fatadjo. Ismael had left the pitch and was walking behind the goal at the Tin Hat giving high fives to the fans. However, he was stopped and sent back onto the pitch as Blaine Rowe had taken a knock and needed to come off, and as Wes had not entered the field, the revised swap was able to take place.

The final five minutes was all Stourbridge but unfortunately a majority of their supporters had already left. Winning a corner on the stand side Rowe sent the ball into the middle where Alexander made a hash of trying to punch the ball away but a covering defender cleared the ball but only as far as Verma on the edge of the penalty area. However, he was tripped before he could use the ball giving the visitors a free kick in a dangerous position. Rowe’s kick struck the wall and deflected off Coyle for a corner on the open side. The in-swinging corner was flicked goalwards from close range by Lewis but Alexander showing tremendous reactions and concentration in a game where he had had very little to do pulled off a world class save to push the ball behind for another corner which came to nothing.

Four additional minutes were played at the end of the regulation ninety but nothing of note occurred.

   Full Time: Kettering Town 5  Stourbridge 0

A very welcome three points at home with a great bounce back win after three disappointing results on the road. Every player including the substitutes performed well and this result can do nothing but improve the morale of the squad. Kai Williams impressed being used in a wider role rather than centrally as he has been utilised in previous games. Hopefully, this will steady the Kettering ship but Stourbridge are at the bottom of the table for a reason so guarded optimism abounds.

Kettering Town yellow cards: none

Stourbridge yellow cards: Sumnall, Portman – fouls,

Attendance: 793

Kettering Town M-of-the-M selected by “The Exiles” – Eddie Panter–  A memorable debut for the forward. After not getting much game time at Bedford, Eddie has hit the ground running despite only having had one training session with his new teammates. His introduction to the side has added a spark to the team. A more solidly built player to those already at the club he has the ability to intimidate defenders knowing that they would receive as much as they could give. He gave both the right back and centre back a torrid time. His goal capped a brilliant performance well worthy of his MotM selection.