Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Tuesday 12th August 2025   19:45

Referee: Karl Donaghey              Assistants: Thomas Burt and Thomas Roberts

After Saturday’s last gasp win at Royston, Kettering would start their 25/26 home campaign entertaining Leiston. The three points won came at a cost though with Leon Lobjoit having to be withdrawn at half-time, Shane Flynn with a heavily strapped thigh substituted early in the second half and most concerning, Paul White’s horrific tumble in added time at the end of the game. Paul is a tough old bird and for him to leave the pitch without being carried off implied that it was something serious. A subsequent x-ray revealed a fracture to a lower arm bone close to the wrist. The bone was set and a plaster cast applied The nature of the injury will mean a lengthy wait on the sideline for the popular Irishman. Leon’s injury prevented his selection for the squad for this match with a possible return in a week’s time. No doubt he will be eager to be back in the squad in time for the team’s trip to his old stomping ground Bedford, this time Real and not Town at the Bank Holiday weekend. Shane, with the healing properties of a younger player, was pronounced fit and would start against Leiston.

To cover for the undetermined absence of White, the club had moved quickly to secure the services of Jason Alexander. He was instrumental in the team’s fantastic FA Cup run last season. A Man of the Match performance against Cleethorpes kept the side in the game and laid the foundation to benefit from the late penalty awarded and subsequently converted. Alfie Lewis and Eddie Oppong were promoted to the starting line up due to the injury of Lobjoit and Archie Crowther reverting to the bench after his exertions at the weekend. Included in the starting squad would be Finlay Corrigan, a player that shone in the pre-season friendlies.

Former Poppy Billy Johnson would be in goal for Leiston anxious not to repeat his generosity of last season’s match at Leiston where his dalliance upon the ball allowed Isiah Noel-Williams to rob him and set Kettering on the way to a 2-0 victory. 

On a beautifully warm summer’s evening it was perfect weather for watching football but possibly a trifle warm for playing, tempered by the slightest hint of a breeze. The pitch looked in good condition considering the lack of rain suffered by the entire country. Watering had taken place throughout the summer but it has not been possible to deliver sufficient amounts of water onto the pitch. The grass had been cut the previous Thursday but it is a balancing act as the shorter the cut ,the more damage done by the baking sun.

The teams changed ends before Kettering kicked off with Leiston in all yellow attacking the Tin Hat. Kettering attacked from off down Leiston’s left but Seb Dunbar, their captain, halted the forward progress with a fine sliding challenge.

Inside the second minute, Joao Rangel showed what a threat he was breaking down the right wing with pace. Flynn stuck to his task though and despite Joao showing a few tricks, Shane held his own. Wyatt Hill, the full back ,joined the attack and outflanked the defence to put a low cross but Stanley was on hand to cut it out at the expense of an early corner for the visitors on the stand side. Fraser Alexander’s corner picked out an alarmingly free Ryan Jarvis but the forward looked a gift horse in the mouth and sent his effort well wide of the goal.

Shortly after, Kettering won their first corner of the game. A good passing move fed the ball out to  Oppong on the wing who drove into the penalty area taking on Alexander looked to get a cross in from the by-line but the defender did enough to block the ball behind. The set piece came to nothing with Johnson collecting the ball with ease.

Kettering’s forwards were looking dangerous even at this early stage and once again a fluid passing move allowed Loza to surge into the penalty area where he saw his shot aimed at Johnson’s near post batted away well by the keeper and the attack broke down.

Seven minutes had been played when Hill fed the ball forward to Rangel along the ground. The forward beat Flynn far too easily and showed his pace to race forward before delivering a looping cross aimed towards the far post where Adam Mills had time and space to aim a header towards  the opposite post. Alexander was equal to it reaching down with his left hand to palm the goal bound effort away making a good save look routine.

Two minutes later, and it was Kettering on the attack passing the ball out of defence with Lewis picking the ball up in a central position just inside the Leiston half. Alfie carried the ball forward with no Leiston player closing him down. When they eventually did, the midfielder flicked the ball outside to Oppong who carried on the forward progress before delivering a deep cross towards the far post where Ranger met the ball with his head. Johnson had watched the ball the whole way and positioned himself  for an easy catch of the attempt which was straight at him.

The match was resembling a basketball game with the action swiftly transitioning from end-to-end but not with aimless route one football but quick accurate passing through midfield rather than over it. Loza was the next to try his luck. Picking the ball up midway inside the Leiston half he carried the ball forward before unleashing a shot just outside the penalty area. A defender managed to get in front of the shot deflecting it behind for a corner on the open side. The corner aimed towards the near post caused confusion within the Leiston goalmouth with the visitors unable to cleanly clear the ball. Kettering kept the pressure on with Andoh floating the ball back into the crowded area when Glennon’s glancing header was blocked and cleared by a defender.

Leiston responded with an attack of their own when Ronnie Blois won control of the ball in midfield. He switched the ball out to Mills on the flank but his attempted cross did not consider the stature of Alexander who plucked the ball out of the air with ease.

A quarter of an hour played and both sides were still going at it hammer and tongs with each  attack being met with an attack from the other side. A good passing exchange between Stanley and Ranger led to Connor shooting wide of the goal. Leiston’s right-back Hill prospered from a poor clearance from the Kettering defence and lifted a cross towards the open side. It was met by the head of Mills who cleared the bar and the Tin Hat.

After twenty minutes, Oppong once again was set free down the open side. He crossed deep where Ranger nodded the ball down into the path of Lewis but Alfie’s first-time volley sailed well over. Three minutes later, Ranger once again showed some good hold up play with his back towards the goal teeing up Andoh for a long-range shot. Levi hit the ball with the outside of his right foot looking to curl the ball towards Johnson’s top right corner but Billy was untroubled as the ball went well wide. Shortly after ,Oppong tried his luck from distance. This attempt was on target but was an easy collect for Johnson. In the build up the Leiston captain Dunbar came into contact with Loza leaving the visitor worse for wear and requiring treatment. Mr Donaghey took advantage of the stoppage and enabled the players to take on fluids after twenty-five minutes of fast attacking football.

Johnson restarted play with a long clearance down field where Forsyth deep in his own half headed the ball away. It was collected by Mills out wide on the open side. He sent a high ball aimed towards the far post where the dangerous Rangel was lurking. The ball didn’t get there though as Forsyth cut it out with another clearing header.

After twenty-eight minutes, the game produced it’s first significant foul after some fine close control displayed by Stanley who played the ball to Loza’s feet with his back to the goal. Callan-McFadden came in from behind too forcefully and sent the Kettering man to the floor. The kick was in a dangerous position some 25 yards out and just left of centre. Thanoj took responsibility for the kick getting it up and over the defensive wall but Johnson was equal to it collecting it by his right-hand post. Two minutes later and Loza once again tormented his former team. A jinking run by Oppong drew the left back to him before he slipped the ball inside to Jamar. He drove past a defender with pure pace into the penalty area heading towards the near post. From six yards out ,with Johnson assiduously guarding his near post, Loza angled a low ball angled across goal to the feet of Ranger who had a simple tap into an empty net from close range. 1-0 Kettering 30 mins.

Two minutes later and sheer pace from Oppong saw him sprint past Dunbar on the wing before playing the ball inside for Loza. Jamar took a touch on his thigh he was beaten to the ball by Johnson. Partisan calls from behind the goal for a penalty as Loza went to the deck were but hopeful yells as play continued as Leiston cleared the ball. Leiston did not panic and continued to play football passing the ball well to move downfield with Rangel looking the most dangerous visitor.

As the visitors looked to play the ball out from the back, a slack pass by Alexander gave away the ball to a pressing Loza. Jamar drove forward and tried a shot which cannoned off a defender straight to Oppong. Eddie toyed with the defender before slipping the ball back to Thanoj coming forward in support. Under no pressure Andi was able to pick his pass squaring the ball to Lewis just outside the arc of the penalty area. Alfie took a couple of touches before firing in a shot with power and precision. Johnson got a hand to it diving to his left but such was it’s power he could not prevent it nestling into the bottom corner.    2-0 Kettering  36 mins.

With less than ten minutes left in the half, Kettering kept pressing forward looking for a third goal which could effectively end the game as a contest before half-time. Loza fed the ball out to Stanley who ran at the Leiston player in front of him twisting and turning and trying to throw the defender off the scent. He returned the ball to Loza who in closing in on goal took one touch too many and the defence cleared the ball. Kettering recovered the ball and were back on the attack with the ball being fed to Loza inside the visitors penalty area but he saw his shot draw a good save from Johnson close to his left-hand post.

Shortly after, Oppong dashed down the right wing before cutting into the penalty area where his progress appeared to be impeded by tugs and pushes by the defender. Mr Donaghey considered the man handling insufficient to award a penalty and a promising move fizzled out. Loza tried his luck from distance with Johnson untroubled as he watched the ball pass a yard wide of his post.

In the closing minutes of normal time, Loza forced a corner on the open side and took the set piece himself with all of Kettering’s tall players crowding into the penalty area. The ball was sent right into the danger area but Andoh could not keep his header town sending it over the bar.

There would be an additional three minutes played most of which was due to the drinks break. The only action of note was a shot from Mills in a rare Leiston attack which passed harmlessly wide of the post.

  Half Time: Kettering Town 2  Leiston 0

Before leaving the pitch, Andi Thanoj was in deep conversation with Simon Hollyhead and his staff. The outcome of the chat appeared to have resulted in Andi’s withdrawal to be replaced by Finlay Corrigan making his Poppies league debut.

Leiston still had the belief that the game was not lost and it was they that had the first shot of the second half when Rangel latched onto a free kick delivered forwards but his effort was high and wide. Kettering who had had a subdued first five minutes attacked once again down the right through Oppong. Eddie carried the ball forward into the penalty area beating two defenders before feeding it back to Stanley. Connor covered by a defender moved to his left to make room for a shot. He fired in a fierce low shot through a crowded goalmouth aimed toward the far post. Johnson diving full length to his right produced an excellent save to parry the ball away. The rebound was collected by Loza who took aim once again but a defender managed to get a head on the ball to send it over for a corner which came to nothing.

It looked like Loza was determined to score against his old club and shortly after he had another attempt. A long clearance from Jason Alexander towards Ranger was nodded down to the feet of  Jamar who finding himself in space shot from the edge of the area but Johnson used his feet well to get behind the ball to collect it with ease.

Just on the hour mark, Leiston still passing the ball around lost possession in the middle of the park generating another shooting opportunity for Loza but it was blazed high over the bar. From the resulting goal kick the visitors looked to play the ball out from the back playing the ball across their back line. The ball was played back to Johnson who dallied over the ball and was quickly confronted by the fired up Loza who challenged for the ball at Billy’s feet in an incident very similar to that in last season’s game at Leiston when Isiah Noel-Williams was the forward who robbed the keeper setting the team on the path to victory. Fortune favoured Johnson this time, and by more luck than judgement, managed to get rid of the ball. Leiston took advantage of the reprieve and moved the ball well down the stand side. Dunbar’s final delivery in towards Blois ballooned off the forward where it was plucked out of the air by Alexander.

With just over twenty-five minutes to go fortune favoured Kettering when deep inside Leiston’s half the ball broke kindly for Loza. With one aim in mind Jamar broke clear running into the penalty area looking odds on to score. Whether it was pressure from a defender, fatigue, a lapse in concentration or the playing surface he appeared to get his own legs caught underneath himself and tumbled to the floor and the chance was gone.

Leiston made their first substitution shortly after with Joe McNeil replacing the frustrated Adam Mills. Rangel was still standing out for Leiston and a couple of minutes later once again probed down Kettering’s left but Flynn dispossessed the Portuguese lad with a good tackle conceding a corner which came to nothing.

Loza would be denied his goal as with twenty minutes to go he was replaced by Kai Fifield. A couple of minutes later Kettering were playing the ball out of defence passing the ball to Stanley wide on the open side touchline just in front of the Leiston bench. He advanced before striking either a cross or a shot which cannoned into a defender and looped up into the air across the pitch towards the stand side. Here it was picked up by Oppong who started back across the pitch just outside the penalty area. On reaching the middle of the pitch he passed it short to Stanley. Connor turned towards goal and passing between two defenders thrust into the box. There was contact with a defender and Stanley tumbled to the floor and after little hesitation the Referee pointed to the spot with no protest from the guilty defender. Ranger claimed the spot kick and as he lined up to take the kick. Mr Donaghey had cause to have words with Jarvis who was pushing and poking Fifield jostling for position on the edge of the penalty area which the defender reinitiated as soon as the Referee turned his back to oversee the set piece. Ranger sent his kick low to Johnson’s left but the keeper had dived the right way and comfortably managed to parry the kick. Karma was swiftly dealt as Fifield reacted quickest reaching the ball first in front of Jarvis and calmly slotting it home in the opposite corner. 3-0 Kettering  74 mins.

Before the restart, Oppong who had gone to the floor in the build up to the penalty, was replaced by Wes York. Within minutes, Leiston made a triple substitution with  Billy Walsh, Jude Frostick and Ben Batho replacing Ryan Jarvis, Jack Manly and Wyatt Hill.

With Kettering completely in control, the game lost it’s snap with the hosts content to play the game out retaining possession. Leiston were still looking for a consolation goal.

Kettering made two further substitutions as the clock wound down with Archie Crowther replacing Shane Flynn after eighty-two minutes and Lewis White for Nile Ranger after eighty-seven.

With under ten minutes to go, Leiston won a corner when Corrigan headed the ball behind on the open side. The ball was not cleared effectively by Kettering and Leiston retained possession and worked the ball to an open Walsh whose thunderous shot from a central position just inside the penalty area was straight at Alexander who calmly pushed the ball over for an unproductive corner.

As the ninety minutes were nearly up, good work from McNeil saw him aim a cross into the box which was dealt with by the defence at the expense of a corner. The corner was cleared well by the defence. However, Forsyth remained on the floor with a shoulder injury which with Kettering’s current form with arm injuries was concerning. George was still of the pitch when the final whistle sounded.

Full Time: Kettering Town 3  Leiston 0

A fine opening home fixture of the season witnessed by a record Latimer Park attendance who would have left after an entertaining performance. Kettering going forward looked very impressive causing problems for the visitors down both flanks and testing the Leiston keeper at every opportunity. The defensive frailties displayed at Royston were much improved assisted by the dropping of Forsyth into a defensive role. The midfield dominated ,and after the third goal, the team took their foot off the pedal with a long hard season before them but still looked in full control of the game. Leiston played their part and came to LP looking to take something back to Suffolk. They competed well for the first thirty minutes but after that they were distinctly second best to a hungry looking Kettering Town with seven goals in two games. The game was played in a good spirit with Mr Donaghey having to show no cards or even have words of warning to any player.

Kettering Town yellow cards: none

Leiston yellow cards: none

Attendance: 1368

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match picked by Trademark Polythene – Eddie Oppong –  After a game winning goal on his league debut at Royston, Eddie was elevated to a starting spot. Mr Hollyhead would have been delighted by this decision as the youngster fully justified it with and outstanding performance. His work down the right was a constant source of chances for Kettering being able to beat defenders with trickery or simple raw pace. The Leiston left back will doubtfully have any harder games this season. He appears to have formed a good understanding with Jamar Loza already. If he can consistently produce performances like this, he has a great future in the game.