Match Report: KTFC v Stafford Rangers 31 08 24

Kettering Town v Stafford Rangers

The Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round

Saturday 31st August 2024   3:00pm

Referee:  Zack Cunningham     Assistants:  Richard Gardiner and Simon Dutton

Kettering would start their 24/25 FA Cup campaign against Stafford Rangers old rivals from the Alliance Premier League/Vauxhall Conference and one of only two teams to have beaten Kettering at Wembley. Relegated last season, Stafford play in the Northern Premier League West Division one level below Kettering. The last meeting between the clubs was 18 years ago in the FA Trophy with Kettering winning 1-0 at home thanks to a Rene Howe goal.

Richard Lavery made one change to the starting XI which were held on Bank Holiday Monday by Harborough Town. Remaye Campbell would start with Wes York moving to the sub’s bench occupied by the same players from the Harborough game. With seven substitutes available for FA Cup matches neither team utilised this option. One face missing was that of Kombe Kawimbe whose signing on a month’s loan from Hemel Hempstead Town was announced on the Friday. One wonders if his absence was due to his parent club not wishing him to become cup tied. He will no doubt get an opportunity with next weekends two matches in three days leading to fatigue in the squad. It was pleasing to see Huw Dawson taking part in the pre-match warm up with a possible return to playing in two to three weeks.

With no appreciable rain in Burton in the week the playing surface was firm and produced a fast field. A mild afternoon with overcast skies but no rain forecast. A moderate breeze was blowing towards the Prosaw stand end.

Kick-off was delayed, once again, by ten minutes, the third time in as many matches. Before kick-off took place there was a minute’s applause for Barry Medlock, a Kettering stalwart, who sadly passed away in the week.

Stafford Rangers in orange shirts and grey shorts kicked-off attacking the Prosaw stand causing the Poppies faithful to migrate to the Tin-Hat end. After a cagey first five minutes, Kettering played a ball forward on the ground to Noel-Williams’s feet just inside the Stafford half. Closely shepherded by Barkers, Isiah used his strength and determination to hold off the taller man, he forcefully carried the ball forward. Unable to outpace the long striding defender he took the ball all the way to the by-line where he was crucially able to open half a yard gap on the Stafford man to enable Isiah to cut the ball back inside to Fifield some 10 yards out. Kai switched the ball onto his left foot and stroked the ball into the net under the diving keeper who managed to get a touch on the ball but not enough to stop it. 1-0 Kettering 6 mins

Two minutes later Kettering were on the attack again as Miller carried the ball into the Stafford penalty area, ignoring the overlap of Fifield, but his cross from the by-line was blocked behind for the first corner of the game. Jarvis took the kick on the stand side short to Miller who returned it to Dan, who picked out Fifield on the edge of the box. Kai touched the ball to Luca who fired a low shot into the side netting.

Just before the twenty-minute mark, Cooke received the first yellow card of the game after hauling Devon Kelly-Evans down from behind in midfield by grabbing Devon by the shoulders just as he was about to show the Stafford man a clean pair of heels. The set piece, mid-way inside the Stafford half, was pushed forward to Hart who played a one-two with Fifield before lifting the ball into the goal mouth where it was met by Powell some six yards out but Aaron’s header was aimed into the ground before bouncing over the bar and past the far post. A definite missed chance.

With twenty-five minutes gone Kettering were knocking on the door. A throw-in on the half-way line picked out Miller in the middle of the park who moved the ball onto Powell on the left. Aaron continued the trend playing it further left for Jarvis. Dan Clipped the ball into Campbell on the edge of the penalty area but Remaye’s shot was blocked ricocheting to Fifield. Kai touched it to Luca who had initiated the attack. Miller nearly doubled the lead when he saw his shot touched by Belford onto the inside of the post, rebound onto the keeper’s head and bounce away from the goal. Jarvis retained possession for Kettering as the home team patiently worked for another opening before a Noel-Williams shot was blocked allowing Stafford a chance of a counterattack foiled by the impatience of Cockerline straying into an off-side position.

On the half hour mark, Kettering were awarded a free kick after a foul by Lawton on Fifield. The free-kick looked to have been a rehearsed routine which saw the kick taken short and after a series of passes Fifield turned the ball into the path of Devon Kelly-Evans who is firmly struck low first-time strike pass wide of the far post.

Five minutes later, Noel-Williams made another surging run forwards down the stand side of the park. He penetrated deep inside the Stafford penalty area before looping the ball over towards the far post where it was cleared by Edwards but straight to Jarvis, who had seen little of the ball in the game due so far mainly due to the success Kettering were experiencing down the right wing. Dan tried a shot but failed to get it on target sending it behind for a goal-kick.

Stafford had their only shot at goal of the first half after forty-one minutes during a period of play when the visitor’s retained possession passing the ball but resulted in Cooke’s first-time effort failing to test Jezeph with the ball flying high over the bar.

With under five minutes left in the half Kettering remembered that there was a left-hand side of the field, and the ball was sent out to Jarvis. Powell went on the overlap but Dan having seen so little of the ball was reluctant to relinquish possession of the ball he edged forward and played the ball to the feet of Campbell on the edge of the box. Remaye touch was sublime moving the ball onto Noel-Williams. Isiah turned down a shooting chance and fed the ball onto Fifield who picked his spot and put the ball into the bottom corner. Once again Belford had got something on the ball but not enough to stop it. 2-0 Kettering 42 mins

 Nothing of note occurred in the remaining minutes including an additional minute of added time.

Half Time: Kettering Town 2 Stafford Rangers 0

Kettering made one change at half-time with Tyree Wilson replacing Devon Kelly-Evans. Tyree went out onto the left wing with Dan Jarvis moving into a more central position with Noel-Williams playing deeper.

Kettering made a positive start to the second half looking for a third goal to kill the tie off. Kettering were awarding a free-kick two minutes into the half as Mbayo was pushed in the back on the half-way line. Jarvis lifted the ball into the Stafford penalty area where it was headed behind by Burns for an early Kettering corner. The set-piece was taken short by Jarvis and cleared easily but only to Hart on the half-way line who recycled the ball forwards. There were shouts from the Pro-Saw stand for a penalty as Campbell was bundled to the floor on the six-yard line, but the referee was not interested as play continued. Stafford cleared the ball to Anaebonam on the right wing and played the ball across the edge of the penalty area towards Morley, but the forward swung his leg and connected with nothing but air.

Fifty minutes had gone when Kettering moved forward again through Miller. Luca shaped up to play the ball outside to Wilson but checked his run wrong footing the defence before playing the ball down the wing for Tyree. Wilson broke down the wing and cut the ball inside to Powell coming up in support and on into the penalty area. Being encouraged to shoot Aaron appeared to get the ball caught under his feet before being crowded out by Burns for a corner which came to nothing.

Two minutes later, Jezeph had to make his first save of the game. A long throw-in from O’Neil in front of the gazebo stand was delivered high into the Kettering penalty area. Burns flicked the ball on with a back header aimed for the top corner which Jezeph punched away for a corner. The set-piece was delivered deep and Jezeph rose well to catch the ball over his head.

With a little under ten minutes played in the second half, Lawton was booked after body checking Fifield. The resulting free kick came to nothing.

Shortly after, there was another good attack by Kettering when Jarvis set Fifield free down the right wing with the just booked Lawton reluctant to commit himself. Kai cut inside to the penalty area before he was challenged but with eyes on a hat-trick refused to go down declining to buy a ticket in the penalty lottery. His shot was beaten away by Belford, but Kettering kept up the pressure with Miller taking a return pass from Wilson before taking a shot, but Luca’s shot was disappointing. When the ball went out of play Kettering made their second substitution with Wes York coming on for Isiah Noel-Williams. Stafford took the opportunity to make their first substitution with Joe Morley being withdrawn for James McQuilkin.

Wes York took over on the right wing with Fifield moving more central. With just over an hour gone Wes made another of his mazy runs where he was taking a walking tour around the opponent’s penalty area. He eventually ended up on the right side of the area where he delivered a sharp cross which flashed across the face of the goal with Campbell failing to commit himself in order to make contact for a certain goal.

After sixty-five minutes, a long hopeful ball was played forward by Stafford. Cockerline managed to get the right side of Johnson but his shot from the edge of the penalty went over the bar. Shortly after, Robbins chanced his arm but again his aim was off, and it passed over the bar. Stafford were enjoying their best spell of the game and forced a corner, but it could only be sent by O’Neill over the Tin-Hat. Five minutes later Stafford Cockerline got the better of Johnson with Connor losing his footing allowing Cockerline to pick his spot to volley it past Jezeph from outside the area. 2-1 Stafford Rangers 72 mins

With fifteen minutes to go another Stafford player entered the book for a foul on Fifield. O’Neill was the offender this time. Five minutes later Kettering made their final substitution with Sidik Atcha replacing Harlain Mbayo.

Kettering were looking to play out the remaining time and Campbell picked up a silly booking close to the corner flag at the Stafford end when he kicked the ball over the perimeter fence. Rangers made a late substitution with only two minutes of normal time remaining with Theo Knight replacing Joe Robbins. A minute later, Mr Cunningham completed his bookwork for the afternoon when Cockerline was booked for an accumulation of fouls. An additional five minutes were played but neither keeper was troubled in the added time.

Full Time: Kettering Town 2 Stafford Rangers 1

 After a good first half display, Kettering failed to reach the same heights in the second half. After the break Kettering appeared to play at a reduced intensity with the game appearing to be considered won. The withdrawal of Kelly-Evans at the break took the bite out of the midfield encouraging Stafford who had nothing to lose to give it a go. Kettering’s still produced plenty of chances but failed to convert any of them. Once again, Jezeph spent much of the game as a spectator largely due to a solid performance by Kettering’s back four. The anxiety in the crowd was growing as Kettering’s chances came and went and with the 89^th minute penalty for Harborough fresh in the memory the final was welcome preventing the need of a Tuesday night at Stafford allowing the players to recuperate before net week-ends two games in three day experience again, with both our opponents Royston and St Ives having to face mid-week replays.

Kettering Town yellow cards: Campbell – kicking ball away.

Stafford Rangers yellow cards: Cooke, Lawton, O’Neill, Cockerline – fouls

Attendance: 844

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – chosen by Poppies Legends – Kai Fifield The first of what hopefully will be many match winning performances from the youngster. It is refreshing for the Poppies to have a wide player with the pace and ability to take on and beat opponents causing panic in the opponent’s penalty area. Lawton’s name can be added to that of Harborough’s Sandhu as left backs turned inside out by Kai’s skill, having to resort to fouling him in an attempt to stop him. The Northampton born player has a great future ahead.