Kettering Town v Halesowen Town

Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Tuesday 25^th February 2025   7:45pm

Referee:  Tom Hales        Assistants:  Lewis Saunders-Johnson and Ali Pascu

Following two successive 3-1 victories, home to Barwell and on the road at Stourbridge, Kettering suffered a 3-1 reverse on Friday night at Bedford, who increased their lead at the top. All is not lost for Kettering though, as they still have games in hand on the two teams ahead of them in the table. Those games in hand need to be converted into points though and tonight’s game is one such game. Originally scheduled for Saturday 4^th January, it was postponed due to a frozen pitch. It would have been a top versus second clash but both teams have slipped down the table since due to inconsistent results and sit in 3^rd and 5^th tied on 53 points but with Kettering possessing the best goal difference in the league at +22. Halesowen would come into the game buoyed by a 3-1 win of their own over local rivals Stourbridge at the weekend and will be looking to maintain their push for a play-off berth.

Richard Lavery’s team would appear to be his preferred starting line-up with Sam McLintock and Kyle Storer making their home debuts. The bench looked strong, but it was deceiving as both Terell Pennant and Tyree Wilson were nursing injuries while Jonny Edwards pulled out after aggravating an injury during the warmup to be replaced by Kai Fifield also not 100%. Callum Powell was still unavailable due to the injury he sustained in January at Redditch.

The evening was cool, clear and still, perfect weather conditions for football. The pitch looked in good condition after having had a two week break from Saturday afternoon action. 

Kettering kicked off with Halesowen in mint green shirts and navy-blue shorts defending the Tin Hat. Kettering were first on the attack moving the ball around the edge of the Halesowen penalty area inside the second minute but could not penetrate the solid defence of the visitors. Halesowen moved the ball confidently to the opposite end where Thanoj conceded a throw in close to the corner flag on the stand side but the threatening position came to nothing.

Eight minutes had been played when Kettering played a long ball down the middle of the park for Noel-Williams to chase. Platt, in the Halesowen goal, came out to collect the ball right on the edge of his area and bowled it out to his right back. Play was stopped as a Kettering player, who’d closed the defender down, had done it too boisterously in the opinion of Mr Hales but, in the meantime, the keeper had gone to the floor intimating that Isiah had cut him down and wanted the Kettering man to be sanctioned. Nobody had noticed any contact between the two and, upset that his concerns were being ignored, the keeper went over to the Linesman on the stand side demanding justice. The Linesman just waved the player away with a dismissive waft of the hand. The referee got involved and went to the Linesman to inquire what had transpired and completely ignored the Halesowen man who had only succeeded in making himself look foolish.

Halesowen were having the better of the game at that moment with probing attacks down either wing On ten minutes, left back Cassidy is played in on the overlap down the stand side. He delivered the ball deep to the back post where Wragg was waiting to nod the ball back into the middle towards Donnelly but the high ball was cut out by Gudger who headed the ball to Jezeph. Gudger was having a personal battle with the imposing figure of Butterfield but was acquitting himself well and was having the upper hand.

Just before the quarter hour mark, Cassidy was forward and once again able to deliver a cross towards the Kettering penalty area picking out Wragg. The youngster, on loan from Walsall, played the ball inside to top scorer Donnelly but the forward made a poor contact on the ball and the chance was gone.

Halesowen were clearly on top and it wasn’t until the eighteenth minute that Kettering had a foray into the visitor’s half. Thanoj played a ball forward for Noel-Williams to run onto but he was covered by Willets and, after a tussle, the defender won the ball and cleared it away. Four minutes later, McLintock picked out Hart wide on the right with a fine cross field ball. Ben advanced with the ball before playing it inside to Kelly-Evans who squared the ball to Thanoj but his shot did not match the quality of the approach play and went high and wide. A minute later, the game got its first yellow card. Noel-Williams looked to sprint through to a loose ball behind the Halesowen back line but his progress was halted by a trip from Wollacott taking one for the team.

Twenty-five minutes had been played when Hart got forward well down the right wing. He crossed the ball from wide into the Halesowen penalty area but it fell to Hickman who cleared it down field. Two minutes later Hart again advanced down the wing. This time instead of delivering a cross Ben cut inside and drove into the penalty area  beating Wollacott for pace but his final shot only found the side netting.

Just after the half hour mark the game got it’s first corner when a probe down the right wing by Hickman resulted in a cross into the penalty area that was put behind by Gudger. Tee’s corner from the open side found Wollacott, but his header was met by Ranger who headed the ball away. Two minutes later, Hickman delivered another ball from wide into the penalty area. This time the ball drifted towards the far post where Donnelly attempted an acrobatic effort at goal but it was a simple catch for Jezeph.

With the majority of the action occurring in the Kettering half a McLintock pass on thirty-seven minutes set Noel-Williams scampering forward on the Halesowen right. Isiah ran onto the ball and was tight on the byline before the right back came across to deal with the attack but his tackle was adjudged a foul by Mr Hales giving Kettering a free kick tight on the byline midway between the corner flag and the penalty area. The set piece taken by Storer was lobbed into the middle but Platt tipped the ball on its way before it was cleared by a defender.

With five minutes remaining in the half, Powell committed a foul in the middle of the park and received a yellow card, his tenth of the season meaning a one match suspension which will most probably be the home game against Alvechurch. The kick by Tee was lifted into the penalty area where it clipped Ranger and went behind for a corner which was headed clear by Ranger.

Halesowen retained possession though, and shortly after, were on the attack again down Kettering’s left. The ball was worked across the penalty area ending with Tee just about on the corner of the penalty area from where he tried an ambitious right footed volley. His aim was off though and the ball was veering away from goal heading towards the corner flag. It passed close to Donnelly who showed his goal scorer’s instinct and leapt like a salmon and arching his back threw his head at the ball. His endeavour paid off and the ball looped off his head and towards goal. With Jezeph throwing himself to his right, but beaten, the ball struck the topside of the bar and bounced back into play both attacker and defender closed on the ball which broke to Tee who squared the ball back into the middle only to see Gudger clear the ball from the six-yard line.

Kettering responded with a corner of their own, but it was played directly onto the roof of the net. One minute of additional time brought no further goal mouth action.

  Half Time: Kettering Town 0  Halesowen Town 0

Neither manager made any personnel changes at half time and Halesowen came out with the same attacking mindset they had shown in the first forty-five minutes. Five minutes had been played of the second half when the ball was fed out wide to Wragg on the stand side. He advanced menacingly, but Powell defended well but at the expense of a corner. The corner was taken short by Tee and was then lifted towards the far post. Kettering’s defence was firm but Halesowen retained possession moving the ball around the edge of the penalty area before a ball played into the box by Hickman was deflected behind for another corner. Tee sent a low ball into the box but once again the Kettering defence held firm and the ball eventually ended up in the arms of Jezeph.

Halesowen were dominating play having the majority of possession with Kettering only occasionally breaking out of defence. Both defences were on top though and neither goalkeeper was troubled by having to make a save.

Sixty-five minutes had been played when Halesowen once again moved forward with purpose down Kettering’s right through Tee, who crossed the ball picking out Butterfield but the tall Halesowen man put his header over the bar missing a definite chance from six yards out. Before the restart, Halesowen made the first substitution of the game with McKauley Manning replacing Charlie Wragg.

With just under twenty minutes to play, Kettering made a change with Wes York replacing Nile Ranger. Four minutes later, Halesowen won a corner after the fresh legs of Manning made an impression on the Kettering defence. The set piece was directed towards the far post to Willets but the defender missed the target with his effort.

Ten minutes later, Kelly-Evans was booked for kicking the ball away in frustration after a free kick decision went against him as a Kettering attack broke down. Two minutes later, he was joined in the book by Connor Johnson for pulling the shirt of a forward who had skipped past him on the edge of Kettering’s penalty area. The free kick from a dangerous position right on the corner of the penalty area was taken by Tee. He lifted it into the middle of the goal where Donnelly made good contact sending a header goal bound. Jezeph, falling to his right got a hand to the ball, managed to stop the ball but with Willets looking to follow up on the loose ball Dan hooked the ball away with his left foot for a brilliant double save. The danger was not over but when the ball fell to Butterfield he sent the ball high over the bar.

With just over five minutes left of regulation time, Manning once again penetrated well down the wing before delivering a good cross into the penalty area. Donnelly had done well to find space between Gudger and Johnson but the forward would be disappointed with his header which sailed over the bar. Before the restart Kettering made their second substitution with Terell Pennant replacing Sam McLintock.

With time running out, Halesowen were still looking to take all three points. Deep inside his own half Noel-Williams stole the ball off a visiting player and the ball was sent deep down the middle of the park. York running from deep latched onto the ball and by coming from a deep position was not picked up by the defenders. Wes managed to wriggle past three defenders and fired a low shot towards the bottom corner. Platt must have got a touch on the ball as it passed close by the post for a corner. This was the first save the visiting keeper had had to make. Kettering tried to keep up the pressure from the set piece but it was relieved when Halesowen were awarded a free kick.

With normal time completed the visitor’s made a double substitution with Donnelly and Hickman making way for Reece Mitchell and Alex Cameron. Three additional minutes would be played after the regulation ninety, These had nearly expired when Halesowen made their final substitution with Reece Flanagan replacing Todd Parker.

   Full Time: Kettering Town 0  Halesowen Town 0

 A rare 0-0 draw in a match involving Kettering displaying the team’s present malaise of failing to score goals. Far too many times recently Kettering have failed to trouble the oppositions goalkeeper. At Bedford the forwards created chances but, apart from Kelly-Evans’ failed to convert them. However, the leaking defence spelt defeat for the team. Tonight, the defence was solid and when compromised had Dan Jezeph on fine form to save the day aided and abetted by the crossbar. The team earned a point in a game that neither side wanted to lose but Halesowen who would have accepted a point before kick-off will be slightly disappointed not to have left Latimer Park with all three points.

Kettering Town yellow cards:  Powell, Johnson – fouls  Kelly-Evans – kicking ball away                                           

Halesowen Town yellow cards:  Wollacott – foul                                                  

Attendance: 996

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – Connor Johnson –  After a disappointing performance at Bedford Johnson along with the rest of the defensive unit put in a good display in a game where they were playing on the back foot for most of the game but delivered a clean sheet. One concern is the regularity with which Connor picks up bookings as the team can ill afford to have its captain and influential player watching on from the stands through suspension.