Kettering Town v Harborough Town

Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Play-off Semi Final

Wednesday 30^th April 2025   7:45pm

Referee:  Fabio Roque        Assistants:  Ian Pascu and Matthew Paul

With Bedford holding their nerve and beating Stourbridge on the last day season Kettering were consigned to the lottery of the play-offs in order to try and win promotion to the National League North. Harborough Town would be looking to win back-to-back promotions having won promotion last season from the Northern Premier League Midland Division via the play-offs. Harborough would come into the game buoyed by a 5-1 win on the road at Sudbury at the weekend. They would not be phased by playing Kettering. Having taken four points off the Poppies in the regular season winning at their own ground with a dismal Kettering performance on New Year’s day drawing 1-1 at Latimer Park on August Bank Holiday Monday following a highly contentious 89^th minute penalty.

With the news of Bedford’s lead on Saturday, Richard Lavery took the opportunity of withdrawing players in the second half of the Banbury game to preserve players legs and protect them from potential yellow cards leading to suspension for tonight’s match. The only injury was to Alex Gudger but he was replaced by Lewis White who has played well on his recall to the Starting XI thanks to injuries to Alex and Connor Johnson. The manager chose a line up very reminiscent of the team Kettering fielded earlier in the season with Sam McLintock filling the place of Isiah Noel-Williams who was present tonight. Up front experience was the order of the day with Wes York, Nile Ranger and Jamar Loza getting the nod. The bench was an attacking one featuring Terell Pennant, Tyree Wilson and Jonny Edwards joined by midfielders Luca Miller and, recovered from his injury sustained against Royston, Kyle Storer meaning that there was no place for Kai Fifield. Motivating his players should present no problem for Richard Lavery especially York and Andi Thanoj who suffered play-off disappointment last season with Coalville.

Two former Poppies would start for the Bee’s, namely Connor Kennedy and Ben Stephens. They were joined on the bench by Paul Malone and manager Mitch Austin who had previously been assistant manager at Latimer Park. A familiar figure in Harborough’s back four was Liam Dolman who 11 years and 1 day ago appeared for Daventry Town in a play-off match here and was on the losing side.

The evening was bright, sunny and still, perfect weather conditions for watching football but a trifle warm for playing. The pitch looked in very good condition having been watered consistently since Saturday to try and temper its hard surface. 

Harborough, in all yellow, kicked off attacking the Prosaw stand with Kettering in red and black shirts. Harborough had the first shot of the game inside the first minute from Starkie from outside the penalty area but it was a weak effort and was easy for Jezeph giving him an early touch of the ball.

Kettering started confidently passing the ball on the floor moving the ball well and looking to exploit down the flanks as Harborough looked to absorb early pressure from the hosts down the open side.

With eight minutes played, a Harborough goal kick, which Taylor took an age to take, was hoisted deep down the middle of the park. It was met by the head of Johnson only for Connor to have to repeat himself moments later but in the act of heading the ball clear was jumped into by Morgan who caught Johnson causing the Kettering captain to go down with a head injury. Mr Roque whistled immediately halting play. Connor required treatment to the extent that he needed the application of a bandage to his head assisting the Poppies TV commentary team in their player identification.

Twelve minutes had been played before Kettering had their first shot at goal. Progress was made down Harborough’s right Powell played the ball into the middle of the penalty area to the feet of Ranger. Nile flicked the ball forward to Loza who hit a first-time low left footed shot which curled wide of the far post.

Two minutes later, and Harborough were on the attack down the stand side. Stephens pushed the ball to Starkie who played in Rose who had got around the back of Hart but his low cross lacked power and was easily collected by Jezeph.

The game got it’s first corner after a quarter of an hour with a Harborough cross deflecting behind on the stand side. With all visitor’s tall players coming up for the set piece taken by Walsh was lifted into the middle of the crowded penalty area. Ranger rose highest though but could only direct behind for another on the same side. This time Ranger once again won the header and Kettering cleared the danger.

Kettering were on the attack again this time down the stand side but it was halted by another foul by Harborough this time by Walsh on York resulting in a free kick between the penalty area and the touchline with the visitors looking happy to defend set pieces as opposed to fast fluid attacks.

With just under twenty minutes of the half remaining, Kettering were on the attack with McLintock moving up the middle of the park. Sam seeing Powell charging forward and played the ball out to him faced up by Kennedy but instead of going wide, Aaron cut inside and tried a shot which deflected off Cooper behind for a corner on the open side. Thanoj delivered the ball into the middle of the goalmouth where Johnson was pushed from behind by Dolman who in turn pushed Morgan to the floor but the Referee let play continue with Harborough clearing the ball.

The game got its first booking after twenty-eight minutes when Morgan body checked Kelly-Evans late with no intention of playing the ball. The resulting free kick by Thanoj ten yards outside of penalty area was played to Loza who had broken wide but his cross into the box was overhit and went out for a goal kick.

Shortly after, Harborough were awarded a free kick midway inside Kettering’s half following a foul by Powell. With all their big men coming forward the Walsh’s kick was not played into the penalty area but sent wide to O’Sullivan who returned it to Walsh who air kicked the ball and fell to the floor wanting a free kick. He was ignored by Mr Roque who, with Harborough in possession, allowed play to continue. O’Sullivan lifted the ball into the middle of the goal where Powell misjudged his clearance missing the ball and ending on his back. There was a moment of panic in the Kettering defence as they struggled to clear the ball but no Harborough player was at hand to punish the host’s and Ranger ran the ball away from his goal before being fouled and allowing Kettering to clear their lines.

As the half entered its final fifteen minutes, Kettering’s next attack came from unlikely source as Lewis White made a surging run down the stand side from midway inside his own half. He was determined not to be stopped taking the ball past three yellow shirts before passing the ball to York inside the Harborough penalty area. However, his rising shot did not trouble Taylor. From the resulting goal kick York took possession of the ball deep in his own half and initiated a great attacking move by Kettering as they moved the ball through flowing passes the length of the pitch culminating in a low driven cross by Hart. A lunging York failed to make contact and a defender hacked the ball away but straight to Hart who drove the ball in again. Another clearance by a defender went straight to Kelly-Evans on the edge of the penalty area who fed the ball forward towards Powell where Aaron’s tenacity kept the attack going feeding the ball back to McLintock whose shot from the edge of the area was narrowly high and wide. 

Harborough responded with an attack of their own winning a throw-in midway inside Kettering’s half sending their tall men forward ready for a long throw from Cooper. The ball ended up with O’Sullivan whose shot was so wide and high that the Poppies bus was closer to being hit than the back of the net.

As the forty- five minutes was coming to it’s end the game got its second yellow card when as the ball went out for a throw-in on the open side. Kennedy needlessly barged Powell into the surrounding fence in an attempt to intimidate the youngster. Mr Roque was having none of if and cautioned the Harborough captain.

Three minutes of additional time was played generated by the injury to Johnson, but a Kettering corner generated no excitement.

  Half Time: Kettering Town 0  Harborough Town 0

Neither manager made any personnel changes at half time but Mitch Austin would have been the happier as despite being under the cosh for most of the first half as Harborough were still level and looking to hit Kettering on the counterattack, an aerial assault from a set piece or long throw. With Dolman shadowing Ranger and Kennedy man-marking Jamar Loza.

Harborough had the first attack of the second half retaining possession down the open side as Kettering struggled to clear the ball. The move ended when the ball was lifted in from the flank towards Rose, but it was more off the ball bouncing off his head than a bona fide header which was a simple collect for Jezeph.

Kettering swiftly moved the ball to the opposite end and Loza played the ball into the goalmouth where it was blocked by Dolman before O’Sullivan hacked the ball away but only as far as Powell whose ambitious shot cleared the Prosaw stand.

It was end-to-end stuff as from the resulting goal kick Harborough once again had success down the open side with the ball being lifted into the goalmouth where Johnson opted for safety first and headed the ball behind for a corner on the stand side. Starkie’s corner was played long towards the far post where a back peddling Jezeph palmed the ball on its way for a throw in on the open side which came to nothing.

Another foul by Harborough after fifty-seven minutes gave Kettering a free kick in a dangerous area when Walsh brought down Hart right on the corner of the penalty area. Thanoj’s kick was poor going over the bar with Taylor watching it all the way. Before the restart, Harborough made their first substitution with Rose being withdrawn in favour of Jutorre Burgess.

With an hour played, Starkie had a good effort from the edge of the penalty area but passed narrowly wide with Jezeph diving full stretch. A minute later, and Harborough were coming forward again and a ball into the box was deflected behind for a corner on the open side. The in-swinging corner was headed away by Ranger but was sent straight back into the area by O’Sullivan where White headed behind for a corner this time on the stand side. This was defended well by Kettering with Jezeph taking possession.

Harborough were having their best spell of the match punctuated by a break down the open side by White. Lewis carried the ball forward before sending it into the box. It was partially blocked by a defender’s head causing the ball to loop up in the air towards the far post. Loza scampered after it and kept the ball in before driving a low cross which was kicked behind by Dolman for a corner on the stand side which came to nothing.

Harborough were still in the game, and Burgess who had played well since coming on, received the ball in plenty of space on Kettering’s right in front of the blue stand. The ball was played via Morgan to Walsh out wide on the open side. The left-back looped a cross into the box where Morgan had found some space. The Harborough man took a touch but it was a poor one causing the ball to rear up to waist height. Caught as to whether to blast it or place it he did neither and lifted it weakly across the goal for a goal kick.

With just over twenty minutes to play, Harborough were advancing down the open side through Stephens but a block tackle by Hart stopped in his tracks, sending him to the floor and coughing up possession. McLintock gathered the loose ball and passed it to Thanoj who lifted it down the line to set up a foot race between York and Dolman. Unsurprisingly, Wes won it and he looped the ball towards the far post where Loza took possession. Jamar chipped the ball across the face of the goal where Ranger and Coleman were waiting. Nile managed to get a head on the ball as Dolman went to the floor claiming to have been fouled but was ignored by Mr Roque. Ranger’s header went sideways and not goalwards but Devon Kelly-Evans the shortest player on the pitch standing on the six-yard line turned the ball goalwards with his head but unfortunately straight at Taylor who greedily grabbed the ball. A yard either side and it would have been interesting.

Almost immediately, Harborough were caught offside possibly the first incident of such on the evening. The resulting free kick was played forward by Kettering down the open side to Thanoj who lifted a cross-field ball towards Powell joining the attack. Aaron tried an ambitious volley on the dropping ball but missed it completely but retained possession and fed it inside to McLintock who from five yards outside the penalty area hit a fierce right footed drive. Taylor positioned himself well and had to bat the ball away with a double handed punch. The rebound was collected by Ranger who fed McLintock who tried another shot. This one was blocked by the bulk of Dolman and cleared by the defence.

With fifteen minutes of normal time left, Hart ran past his marker on the open side and delivered a perfect ball into Ranger in the penalty area where a breakdown in communication between Nile and Loza saw the ball cleared. Kettering recycled the ball and Kelly-Evans delivered a low ball into the box towards the feet of Ranger. The ball passed Nile and on into the path of York by the penalty spot. Wes had managed to get goal side of Cooper but his scooped shot from near the penalty spot, with Taylor beaten, crashed into the underside of the crossbar before being headed clear by Cooper.

Kettering were looking to win the game in ninety minutes and shortly after, Kelly-Evans robbed Stephens of the ball midway inside the Kettering’s half and then lifted a long ball forward over Harborough’s back line into space for Loza to run onto. Morris got back to the ball first which was too far out for Taylor to collect. The defender under pressure from both Jamar and York he tried to play his way out of trouble rather than take the safe option and put the ball out for a corner. He failed in his attempt presenting Loza a shooting opportunity and was only denied by a great save by Taylor blocking the shot with his feet at the expense of a corner. Before the open side corner was take, Harborough made their second substitution with Dan Forbes replacing Ben Stephens. The corner by Hart was partially cleared but Kettering kept the pressure on and won another corner which was unproductive.

With less than ten minutes to go, Harborough won a corner on the stand side. The inswinger by Starkie picked out the unmarked Forbes but the substitute made a hash off his free header sending the ball wide of the post spurning Harborough’s best chance of the game.

With just over five minutes of normal time left, Kettering made their first substitution with Jonny Edwards replacing Nile Ranger in a straight swap.

The Referee indicated that there would be an additional five minutes to be played. The start of this injury time was marked by another foul by Walsh but earned only a talking to by Mr Roque. The free kick was lifted into the area but easily cleared by Harborough the ball being recycled by  Kettering and Kelly-Evans played the ball wide for Loza. Jamar feinted right and then cut inside to give him room to shoot. His fierce drive clipped a defender on the way through and went out for a corner on the open side. Hart’s corner caused mayhem in the crowded Harborough penalty area with neither side able to get a definite contact with the ball as Kettering maintained possession and pressure on the defence with no red shirt able to generate space for a shot. The ball eventually came to McLintock who sent a low shot goalwards through a forest of players legs, but the shot lacked power and rolled into the hands of Taylor.

Still Kettering were generating chances and a ball played to the feet of Edwards was flicked into the path of York who fed it out wide to Hart on the overlap. Ben drove the ball low into the goal area but Morris managed to get a foot to the ball to divert its path so it arrived behind Kelly-Evans. Devon reached with his leg but could not curl his foot around the ball and sent it behind for a goal kick.

    Full Time: Kettering Town 0  Harborough Town 0

Kettering kicked off extra time attacking the Tin Hat. Two minutes in and Hart, midway inside the Harborough half and tight on the stand side touchline, played an exquisite  ball down the line for Edwards to run onto. With York drawing Dolman into the goalmouth Jonny cut a low ball diagonally back across the penalty area picking out the open Loza. With time and space to take a touch Jamar hit it first time and with an almost open goal sent the ball over the Tin Hat.

After six minutes as a Kettering pushed down Harborough’s right, the attack broke down and the defence threaded a low ball forward into the space vacated by Hart and White to the open Burgess but Johnson came across and with a perfectly timed tackle slid in and took the ball off the forwards foot for a throw-in which came to nothing.

With one hundred minutes on the clock Kettering made their second substitution with Terell Pennant coming on for Jamar Loza.

In the dying moments of the first period of extra time, Pennant with his fresh legs received the ball out wide on the open side from Johnson. Terell cut inside Cooper and lifted the ball over towards the far post where the sliding Hart was inches away from making a match winning contact.

Extra Time Half Time: Kettering Town 0  Harborough Town 0

Mitch Austin made Harborough’s third change at half time of extra time with Paul Malone coming on to replace Dan Cooper.

Ex Poppy Malone went into a forward position and proved a handful for Johnson causing the Kettering defence a new problem to deal with. With just under ten minutes remaining, Harborough introduced former Brazilian international Sandro with the withdrawal of Ben Starkie.

Shortly after, as a Kettering attack broke down Harborough played the ball out of defence to the feet of Burgess, just inside the centre circle. He carried the ball past Johnson who failed to dispossess the Harborough man. Bearing down on goal, White came across and using his strength and body took the ball away from the forward and snuffed out the attack.

Inside the final five minutes, Kettering won a corner on the open side. Hart took the corner short to Kelly-Evans who lifted the ball into the goal mouth. Harborough could not definitively clear the ball as Kettering retained possession moving the ball around the edge of the penalty area hunting for the chink in the defensive armour of the visitors. Pennant looked to have got around the full back but Sandro got a foot in, to the approval of the Harborough fans, to concede a corner on the stand side. Before the Hart could take the kick, with one eye on the impending penalties, Harborough made a final substitution with Ben Williams coming on for Riley O’Sullivan. The kick was further delayed with Mr Roque having to have words with both Johnson and Dolman because the amount of pushing and shoving in the goalmouth at this crucial stage of the game. The kick was cleared by Harborough setting up a 2 v 1 break away for the visitors .but Kettering players sprinted back to stifle the attack and cause it to break down.

With time expiring, Kettering were wanting to make an eleventh-hour substitution with Storer coming on for White for the penalties but the Kettering players did not stop the game by putting the ball out and the final whistle sounded before the swap could be made.

Extra Time Full Time: Kettering Town 0  Harborough Town 0

With no goals in 120 minutes the game went to a penalty shoot out. The penalties would be taken in front of a packed Tin Hat end with Harborough to take first. Dan Jezeph had saved one penalty during the regular season, away at Leiston, when Jamar Loza was the taker.

 H1 Burgess sends a weak kick to Dan’s right giving him an easy stop.                             0-0

 K1 Edwards sends Taylor the wrong way but hits the post and the ball bounces away.   0-0

 H2 Morgan slots the ball low into the corner.                                                                   1-0

 K2 Thanoj hits the ball at a nice height for Taylor to save to his right.                             1-0

 H3 Walsh sends Jezeph the wrong way.                                                                          2-0

 K3 Hart, textbook penalty gets Kettering underway.                                                        2-1

 H4 Malone sends the ball high down the middle and hits the bar.                                 2-1

 K4 Kelly-Evans sends Taylor the wrong way and strokes it home.                                   2-2

 H5 Williams sends Jezeph the wrong way. Match point to Harborough.                        3-2

 K5 Pressure, what pressure. Powell with what could have been his last kick for

      Kettering was Mr Cool comprehensively beating Taylor.                                            3-3

 H6 Sandro misses the target sending the ball a couple of feet wide.                             3-3

 K6 McLintock with the game to win sees his poor kick saved by Taylor.                        3-3

 H7 Hero turned villain Kennedy sees his low shot well saved by Jezeph.                       3-3

 K7 Johnson blasts an unstoppable penalty past Taylor. Pandemonium in the Tin Hat.  3-4

 Kettering win 3-4 on penalties

A truly exciting  0-0 draw which in the end the result went to the team that deserved it most. Kettering dominated the game and created a hat-full of chances but could not manage to convert one of them. The whole team put a shift in with Sam McLintock running for the entire 120 minutes covering every blade of grass on the pitch. Every player contributed to the result with Nile Ranger providing important defensive headers when Harborough with their many tall players looked to create at corners and long throw-ins. The job is only half done but if the squad can produce a performance of equal magnitude on Bank Holiday Monday, trips to South Shields, Scarborough and Spennymoor can be anticipated next season.

Kettering Town yellow cards:   none                                         

Harborough Town yellow cards:  Morgan, Kennedy – fouls                                                 

Attendance: 2760

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – Connor Johnson –  A  captain leading from the front belting home the winning penalty powered by sheer determination. If Taylor had managed to get a hand on it you would have been concerned for possible damage to his wrist. After sustaining a head injury inside the first ten minutes, his head bandage acted as a beacon to his team mates to solidify around in a solid defensive display. There was no question of Connor going off such was his dedication to the cause heading the ball throughout the remainder of the match with little regard to his injury. Alongside him with an equally impressive performance was Lewis White chasing and covering and putting in some vital challenges as the clock ran down.