Match Report KTFC V Stamford AFC 24 Sept 24

Kettering Town v Stamford AFC

Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Tuesday 24^th September  2024   7:45pm

Referee:  Sam Wesson    Assistants:  Adam Brierly-Lewis and Gary Lord

 After Saturday’s win over Lowestoft, tonight’s opposition in the form of Stamford AFC would provide a stiffer test, sitting as they do on top of the Southern Central Premier table after their victory at the weekend away at the previous leaders Alvechurch. Kettering would be looking to reverse last season’s results against Stamford who won both matches despite Kettering taking the lead in both.

One change had to be made to the starting XI from Saturday with Devon Kelly-Evans joining Kai Fifield and Wes York on the injured list. Luca Miller replaced Devon Kelly-Evans with new signing Marvin Sordell taking Luca’s spot on the subs bench. Two former Poppies appeared in the Daniels squad, last season’s left-back Charlie Marzano, and from slightly longer ago, Jon Challinor, the man who scored Kettering’s last league goal at Rockingham Road.

With all the rain that had fallen in Burton Latimer over the last four days in previous seasons today’s game would have been in question. It is a testament to the work that has been carried out on the pitch over the close season on repairing the underground drains that the pitch looked in great condition, a lush green colour under the floodlights. The evening was still, dry and mild, perfect conditions for football.

Stamford in royal blue with a white trim kicked off attacking the Prosaw stand necessitating, once again, the Poppies faithful to switch ends to the Tin Hat end. Kettering in red and black, were on the attack early with the ball fed out to Jarvis on the left wing. Dan briefly teased the right-back before sliding the ball inside to Powell who had come forward in support. Aaron, rather than taking it first time, took a touch first. The delay gave a defender enough time to get in front of the shot and block it. Thanoj was over exuberant in attempting to regain possession and gave away a free kick. Shortly after, Kettering had the first shot of the game when Ranger supplied Jarvis. Dan’s shot was on target but was a routine save for goalkeeper Tom Jackson clad all in green.

Just after five minutes had been played, the action was stopped with Stamford’s top scorer Jack Duffy needing attention. Shortly before, he and a Kettering player had challenged for a ball in the air. The Stamford man had ended up on the floor where it appeared that his hand had been inadvertently trodden on.

Five minutes later, Kettering swept up-field with a fine passing move from Ranger onto Noel-Williams who picked out Jarvis who tested Jackson with a good shot from which the Stamford keeper produced an equally good save blocking the ball before it was cleared by a defender. The next minute, Kettering won the first corner of the game on the open side. Hart’s delivery looked good but ended up on the roof of the net.

From the goal-kick, the high ball was misjudged by Johnson and it passed over his head for Chitiza to run onto. With the forward bearing down on goal, White came to the rescue with a brilliant well-timed tackle right on the edge of the penalty area with no margin for error at the expense of conceding corner. The set-piece was flicked on by Duffy to Blunden who headed the ball goalwards. Hart was positioned on the line though and headed it away. Almost immediately, Stamford forced another corner which was punched clear by Jezeph. Kettering moved the ball smartly up-field with Wilson feeding the ball to Hart on the overlap. Ben delivered a dangerous cross into the Stamford goalmouth where Cooke unaware who was behind him opted for safety and put the ball behind for an unproductive corner.

On the quarter hour mark the ball was played outside to Jarvis who started a mazy run forward. He strode past full-back Burgess before facing up to Cooke who had come across to support. Dan rounded him and looked to poke the ball home at the near post. However, it was blocked behind for another Kettering corner. This one was considerably better than its predecessors and a bit of panic ensued in the Stamford goalmouth. Chitiza proved his value to his team at the other end of the park clearing the ball off the line for the visitor’s before it was cleared downfield.

Stamford switched play to the opposite end with Morgan threading the ball into the penalty area but White read the game well, intercepting the ball and initiated a Kettering counter attack but the move broke down on the edge of the Stamford penalty area when Wilson lost his footing allowing Marzano to carry the ball away.

The game was being played from end-to-end more like a cup-tie than a top of a table league match. With just over twenty minutes played, a Kettering free-kick on the half-way line was worked forward in a series of passes culminating in a pass to the feet of Noel-Williams in the penalty area. Isiah turned and looked to be making room for a shot when an ill-judged foot in by Vince made contact with Noel-Williams bringing him down for a stonewall penalty leaving Isiah in some pain on the ground requiring treatment. Ranger placed the ball on the spot, and despite Jackson diving the right way. the precision and power of Nile’s kick gave the keeper little chance in stopping the kick. 1-0 Kettering 23 mins

Stamford looked to strike straight back and played the ball out of defence to Morgan who ran at the heart of the Kettering defence, but his final ball was read by White who snuffed out the move feeding the ball back to Jezeph. The visitor’s cause was not helped when Charlie Marzano went down injured after twenty-five minutes needing treatment from the Sports Therapist. Kettering were up for a battle though, evidenced on the half hour mark when Miller muscled a Stamford off the ball to take possession in the middle of the park.

Liversidge carried the ball forward before being stopped on the edge of the penalty area by Johnson but deemed a foul by Mr Wesson giving Stamford a free kick in a dangerous area. Liversidge took responsibility for the kick himself but sent the ball straight at Jezeph for a simple catch.

Kettering won another corner shortly after when Jarvis once again got past Burgess before crossing towards the far post where Marzano chested the ball behind with Wilson coming in on his blind side. The corner was headed away by the defence, but Kettering retained possession patiently passing the ball around the edge of the penalty area before Miller was fouled once again but the set piece opportunity was wasted.

Stamford looked to get level before the break and came forward with purpose. Morgan carried the ball forward before laying the ball off to Vince, who in turn picked out Chitiza in a shooting position but the shot was weak and straight at Jezeph. Shortly after, Morgan was the creative force lifting the ball over the top for Liversidge to run onto leaving the forward 1v1 against Jezeph. Shooting from the edge of the box, Dan did enough to get something on the ball to send it wide with a great save. The resulting corner came to nothing. Shortly after, Stamford’s failure to capitalise on their openings came back to punish them. Morgan won back possession on the half-way line and played the ball to Vince who played in Chitiza. He shot from the edge of the area but another fine save from Jezeph parried the ball away. It was collected by Thanoj who played the ball down the right wing for Noel-Williams to test the pace of Blunden. Isiah won, despite the defender attempting to take him out. He cut into the penalty area and laid the ball on a plate for Ranger who from ten yards out planted the ball into the net.2-0 Kettering 41 mins.

Kettering could have tied it up before half-time when Hart from just inside his own half lifted a fine cross-field ball towards Jarvis who had outpaced Burgess once more. Dan hit the ball first time but shinned the ball past the post. Two minutes of added time brought no action of note.

Half Time: Kettering Town 2  Stamford 0

Stamford rang the changes at half-time with Marzano and Burgess withdrawn in favour of Challinor and Shaw. Marzano was injured but Burgess had been having a torrid time against Jarvis. The removal of the two full backs saw a formation change to a three-man back line.

Stamford won a corner early in the second half, but the kick taken short was put high over the bar. Kettering responded by moving the ball straight up the middle of the park with Ranger, threading the ball through for Noel-Williams to run onto, but Jackson was alert and raced out to claim the ball in front of Noel-Williams. Shortly after, Isiah turned provider setting up Jarvis who saw his shot blocked behind for a corner. The set-piece taken by Powell went into middle but was put behind for another corner followed by a third this time taken by Hart. However, Stamford cleared their lines shifting the ball to the opposite end, but the final shot sailed high over the bar.

Ten minutes of the half had been played when Kettering swept the ball forward via Miller and Ranger onto Noel-Williams who played the ball behind the defender for Wilson to run onto. Once again Blunden tried to bring down the attacker, but Tyree avoided most of the contact to send the ball goalwards. Jackson took most of the pace off the ball, but it was still trickling towards goal. Glennon rushing back to cover almost put the ball into his own net with a heavy first touch before putting it behind for a corner which came to nothing.

With twenty-five minutes to play Stamford’s captain and play maker Morgan was taken off replaced by Bartle. Stamford were starting to have more possession but were unable to pierce Kettering’s back line with Powell outstanding.

Ten minutes later, Kettering made their only substitution with a tiring Isiah Noel-Williams, who had gone down with no player near him just prior to being withdrawn, in favour of new signing Marvin Sordell. Marvin almost made a dream start shortly after coming on when he intercepted a ball mid-way inside his own half. He carried the ball forwards almost half the length of the pitch before feeding the ball out wide to Jarvis. Dan held the ball up as Sordell continued his run into the penalty area before playing the ball to the debutant’s feet. Marvin pushed the ball past the defender, but Glennon managed to stretch out a leg and toe the ball away to be cleared.

With just under ten minutes to go Liversidge was replaced by Clark. Shortly after, Kettering won a corner on the open side. The ball was lifted into the middle and met by the head of Ranger, but the ball looped up into the air for an easy catch by Jackson. The keeper quickly released the ball downfield looking to catch Kettering napping. Stamford were still looking to get something from the game and a long throw into Kettering’s penalty area was flicked on by Blunden to Chitiza but he put his header wide.

Kettering were looking to make the game safe and with less than five minutes to go they broke down the middle with Miller. He looked to thread the ball through for Wilson to run onto, but his pass was slightly awry and clipped the covering defender rebounding to Chitiza. Luca was on him in a flash and robbed the ball off him and poked it to Wilson. Tyree’s shot was blocked by the advancing Jackson, but the ball ran to Luca who saw his shot blocked by Chitiza and cleared for a corner.

As the game was winding down to the end there was a flash point when Powell pulled down Duffy on the half-way line to foil a Stamford attack. The frustration of the Stamford players boiled over with a melee in the middle of the park. When the dust settled there were bookings for Powell, Duffy and Alexander who had run onto the pitch.

With two minutes of normal time left Kettering cleared a long ball out of defence. Ranger chased,  won the ball, and held up play as support arrived in the form of Wilson. Nile swept the ball out to him, but Tyree failed to hit the target putting his shot wide.

Mr Wesson deemed that there would be six extra minutes played. As normal time expired Jarvis was booked for kicking the ball away as it went out of bounds. Kettering successfully saw the remaining time with much of the play being close to the corner flag at the Stamford end.

Full Time: Kettering Town  2  Stamford  0

  brilliant win for Kettering in front of a great crowd for a Tuesday night who were rewarded with a fine display of attacking football underpinned by a solid defence and a string of good saves by Dan Jezeph. With displays like this, the crowds will only get better. It should be remembered that three regular starters were absent through injury. With Kelly-Evans missing the team could have struggled to gain control of midfield but the team spirit overcame this with players stepping up to fill the void. Opposition teams will not relish coming to Latimer Park, unlike as in previous years, because of the state of the playing surface, but because of the quality of the team they have to face. The large home support also lifts the home players acting as a twelfth man to cheer the eleven men on the pitch to give 100% effort. Hopefully, LP will become a fortress with visiting teams unconfident of getting a positive result.

Onto St Ives for the FA Cup on Saturday with a host of Poppies fans taking a trip down the A14 to hopefully turn it into effectively a home game for Kettering leading to further progress in the premier Cup competition.

Kettering Town yellow cards: Powell – foul,  Alexander- unsporting conduct                                                                        Jarvis – kicking the ball away.

Stamford yellow cards:  Duffy – unsporting conduct

Attendance: 986

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – chosen by the Media Team – Nile Ranger – Every minute Nile plays sees his match fitness improve. After a hesitant first half display at St Ives, he has shown a steady improvement. Form is temporary but class is permanent. Four goals in four games, could he be the 30 goal a season forward that every team dreams of. The more Nile plays the more his teammates are getting in tune with him and Isiah Noel-Williams is starting to build an understanding with Ranger with the youngster learning from the veteran.

A mention should also be made of the performance of Dan Jezeph who produced some fine saves throughout the match none more so that the one from Chitiza which led directly to the second goal.

Klondike Winner (No. 04705) of the £350 prize was Steven Coles of Barton Seagrave.