MATCH SUMMARY:
The Poppies suffered defeat at in-form Banbury tonight losing to the only goal of the game on 19 minutes scored by Harry Reilly. Once again goal chances were hard to come by. Despite some heavy Kettering pressure in the second half. home keeper, Jack Harding, had only a couple of saves to make as his defence stood solid.
THE KETTERING SQUAD:
Returning to the squad and starting the game were Connor Johnson and Isiah Noel-Williams. Marvin Sordell and Kai Fifield. Wes York, Lewis White and Luca Miller reverted to the bench and Andj Thanoj was unavailable.
THE TEAMS:
BANBURY UNITED
1 Jack Harding
2 Harry Reilly (12 Nick Jones,78)
3 Gedeon Okito
4 Alex Prosser
5 Yaw Ofusu (Captain)
6 Tai Fleming
7 George Forsyth
8 Connor Gerguson
9 Jaanai Gordon
10 Timothy King (15 George Ball,63)
11 Dan Jarvis (16 Connor Stanley,71)
Unused Substitutes:
14 Archie Hollyhead
16 Joel Odei-Larbi
Yellow Cards: Nantwi-Ofosu,28; Forsyth,45;Ball,84;Fleming,90.
KETTERING TOWN
1 Dan Jezeph
2 Ben Hart
3 Aaron Powell
5 Connor Johnson (Captain)
6 Alex Gudger
11 Tyree Wilson (10 Terell Pennant,46)
14 Marvin Sordell
15 Gary Stohrer (17 Luca Miller,59)
16 Isiah Noel-Williams
18 Jonathan Edwards (9 Nile Ranger,75)
19 Kai Fifield (7 Wes York,54)
Unused Substitute:
12 Lewis White
Yellow Card:
Johnson,37.
HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED:
It was a cool night at the newly named Spencer Stadium tonight and the pitch was heavy following afternoon rain.
The Poppies were the first to show with Isiah Noel-Williams playing a low ball in from the left and a stretching Gary Stohrer spooned a shot wide.
Both teams were playing keep ball and much of the first 15 minutes saw little goalmouth action. Ex Kettering player, Harry Reilly, put a long throw in to the six-yard box and, as the ball ran loose, Alex Prosser had a shot blocked.
The game sprang to life suddenly on 19 minutes. As the ball was partly cleared by the visiting defence, Reilly tried his luck with a 30-yard shot which flashed past Dan Jezeph to put the Puritans in front.
Banbury United 1 – 0 Kettering Town
The response from Kettering was pretty rapid as just a couple of minutes later, good work by Isiah Noel-Williams saw Kai Fifield meet his low cross and, looking certain to score, the shot was blocked by home skipper Yaw Nantwi-Ofuso.
Banbury responded and Reilly again, now in the six-yard box, got the ball past Jezeph only to see Aaron Powell hook the ball away.
Nantwi-Ofusu was cautioned on 28 minutes for bringing down Noel-Williams as he ran clear on goal. It could have been a red card but the Referee may have been influenced by other defenders in the vicinity albeit they would probably not have caught up with the Kettering player.
On 33 minutes, Jonny Edwards slipped a ball through to Tyree Wilson but the chance was lost as the ball was just too far in front of the wide man. Jezeph cleared a Tim King cross away for a fruitless corner and, just before the break, a dangerous Noel-Williams cross was hacked away.
Half Time:
Banbury United 1 – 0 Kettering Town
Kettering made an immediate change with Terell Pennant replacing Wilson.
There was danger for the Poppies on 50 minutes as a scramble in front of goal saw Jezeoh save a shot with his legs and a follow up shot was well blocked.
Following a Kettering corner on 53 minutes, Banbury broke away on a counterattack. The ball was worked to Jaanai Gordon who cut in from the left and put a right foot shot wide of the right post.
Coming into the final third of the game, the Poppies finally began to exert some control. Wes York had replaced Fifield and Luca Miller came on for Stohrer. Ben Hart was now getting forward and had an influence on the game. His cross, on the hour, was spilled by home keeper, Jack Harding, but the game was halted for a foul.
The Poppies were piling on the pressure and won another corner. Following the clearance, Noel-Williams received a ball on the left, beat his man, and set up Miller however, Harding smothered the shot.
On 63 minutes, another ex-Poppy, Dan Jarvis, crossed from the left and the ball flashed past the right post. As Kettering immediately countered, Edwards created space to shoot but Reilly was there to snuff out the danger.
Edwards had another chance on 70 minutes as he met a Hart cross but his header was over the bar. Terrell Pennant got in a couple of shots. The first was blocked and the second was a comfortable catch for Harding.
On 77 minutes, with the Poppies still pressing, Aaron Powell saw a low shot deflect just wide. Then a Hart cross was met by a defender who headed firmly over his own crossbar.
A rare but quick break by Banbury saw Connor Ferguson’s shot held by Jezeph. Kettering’s continuing pressure saw Pennant and Alex Gudger both have shots blocked and as the Poppies pressed forward, Gordon had a couple of chances on quick breakaway, neither of which troubled Jezeph.
The usual time wasting saw the game out for Banbury who totted up four cautions overall, with Harding, the most guilty of the time-wasting offence, not one of the four.
Full Time:
Banbury United 1 – 0 Kettering Town
Attendance: 602 (Kettering fans estimated at 125)
Referee: Daniel Lamport; Assistant Referees: Matthew Paul and David Brennan
Poppies Media Kettering Town Man of the Match: Ben Hart
FORTHCOMING HOME MATCHES:
Saturday February 8th: Barwell FC at 3pm
Tuesday February 25th: Halesowen Town at 7.45pm
Tuesday March 4th: Alvechurch FC at 7.45pm
Forthcoming Away Matches:
Saturday 15th February: Stourbridge at 3pm
Friday 21st February: Bedford Town at 7.45pm
Saturday 1st March: Leiston at 3pm
