Match Report Poppies vs Lowestoft Town 21 Sept 24

Kettering Town v Lowestoft Town

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central

Saturday 21^st  September  2024   3:00pm

Referee:  Martin Beard    Assistants:  Ellis Mills and Erno Vajda

Today’s opposition Lowestoft Town would provide the filling in a FA Cup sandwich following last Saturday’s tight victory over Cleethorpes and next weekend’s tricky tie on the plastic at St Ives. Lowestoft Town will notice some changes since they last played at Latimer Park in December 2018 in Kettering’s Championship winning season. The Assistant Manager that day, Richard Lavery, will be hoping for a repeat of that result, a positive 3-0 win. Gary Stohrer played that day  and also Devon Kelly-Evans’ twin brother Deon.

The Trawlerboys last four games, all at home, have seen two thumping wins against lower league opposition in the FA Cup scoring 11 times, a home defeat to Telford, and a comeback win after going two goals behind to Royston to win 3-2. Of some concern to the Lowestoft management is the fact that they conceded 2 goals in all four matches and their last game away from the seaside saw them crumble to a 6-1 defeat at AFC Sudbury.

Richard Lavery made two changes to the starting XI from last Saturday. Dan Jezeph, after serving his one match suspension, returned in goal with former Man of the Match Jason Alexander taking a seat on the bench. The other change was due to an injury to Kai Fifield, which was severe enough to see him not be part of the substitutes bench along with Wes York. Isiah Noel-Williams came into the side fit enough after injury to start the game in the middle of the park with Dan Jarvis moving to a wide position.

The pitch looked in good condition but of more concern were the black rain clouds massing behind the Tin Hat end with rumbles of thunder in the distance. Despite a brief shower during the team’s warmups, it was dry at three o’clock but with wind blowing from the direction of the storm clouds the chance of it remaining dry throughout the game was remote.

Lowestoft, in all blue, kicked off attacking the Prosaw stand with Kettering in red and black. Kettering created the first chance of the game after two minutes. Kelly-Evans, on the half-way line moved the ball diagonally forward to Ranger who played a perfectly weighted first touch ball into the path of Wilson racing down the right wing. Tyree let the ball run to the corner of the penalty box before sending a ball angled towards the goalmouth where Noel-Williams closely shepherded by Hazell managed to get a toe to the ball but could only scoop the ball over the bar in a sharp incisive attack.

The first corner of the game came after four minutes of play, and it was for the visitors as a ball into Kettering’s penalty area was headed behind by Johnson. The dark clouds had drifted over the ground necessitating the turning on of the floodlights to combat the gloom. The corner was efficiently dealt with by the Kettering defence with Thanoj coming away with the ball. The play was worked out to Jarvis on the left, but his shot was blocked and cleared assisted by the wind for a Kettering throw-in by the turnstiles.

Kettering generated the next chance when Hart advanced down Lowestoft’s left. Challenged on the edge of the penalty area, Ben tumbled to the floor, but it did not convince the referee that an offence had been committed. As Lowestoft looked to counterattack, a pass was intercepted, and Ranger picked out a pass to Wilson. Tyree closed on the Lowestoft goal but as he shot Cole, the Trawlerboys captain, got in a great block taking all the pace off the shot allowing Holt to collect the ball. About this time the rain started teeming down.

On the quarter hour mark, Lowestoft worked the ball forward with confidence, but it came to nothing when Sayer from the edge of the penalty area sent the ball over the Prosaw stand. Shortly after, Lowestoft were on the attack again as firstly, Johnson blocked a shot with his head. The ball broke to Lowestoft’s top scorer Reed, but his curling goal bound shot was headed behind by Lewis White for an unproductive corner.

Twenty minutes had gone when the game came closest to it is first goal when Noel-Williams broke down the middle of the park. With only Cole covering, Isiah moved the ball onto Ranger. Nile carried the ball forward and checked his run on the edge of the penalty area creating some space between him and the retreating Cole, allowing him to hit an aimed shot towards the far post. The diving Holt was beaten hands down, but he was saved by the woodwork as the ball struck the outside of the post. Kettering kept up the pressure and shortly after a promising attack involving Hart and Noel-Williams was brought to a halt by the Linesman flagging for off-side as the rain stopped.

The Referee had his first cause to have words with a player after twenty-five minutes when Hart was adjudged to have caught Haylock in attempting to reach the ball. It appeared that Ben had not made contact pulling out at the last moment but at least Mr Beard did not show a yellow card. The free-kick was lifted toward the far post and then headed back across the goal to where the open Clarke was waiting but Flynn completely miss-cued his shot woefully missing the target.

Just before the half hour mark another crisp Kettering passing move saw the ball finish with Wilson who took the ball to the by-line inside the Lowestoft penalty area before cutting a firm ball back across the face of the goal. The ball came at Jarvis on the six-yard box at a pace and thigh high. Dan did well to turn the ball goalwards but was unable to keep the ball down as it passed over the bar. Kettering stayed on the front foot and three minutes later the Lowestoft defence was tested once again with the ball loose in the visitor’s penalty area but there was no Poppy on hand to capitalise.

Lowestoft looked to have weathered the storm but with five minutes left in the half Kettering were once again pressing down the visitor’s right-hand flank where Kelly-Evans, Powell and Jarvis were retaining possession with a neat passing triangle. Devon played the ball to Dan standing on the corner of the penalty area. Jarvis turned and picked his spot. In the middle of the goalmouth Cole attempted to clear the ball but, in his attempt, he sliced the ball past his goalkeeper giving Holt no chance.1-0 Kettering 40 mins.

Some quarters credited it as an own goal, but it was no different to Scotland’s goal against Switzerland at Euro 24 which was credited to McTominay. Three minutes later, Kettering nearly doubled their lead when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area following a foul on Kelly-Evans. The kick some twenty-five yards out, and slightly left of centre, was a plumb position for Thanoj. Andi’s free kick was struck well and heading for the top corner, but Holt managed to get across to tip the ball over for an unproductive corner. This was the last significant action of the half including an additional minute of play.

Half Time: Kettering Town 1  Lowestoft Town 0

Kettering made a personnel change at half time with Isiah Noel-Williams, who had taken a knock just before half-time, being replaced by Luca Miller. The rain, which had stopped before the half-time interval, returned with a vengeance early in the second half coming down even heavier than before.

Inside five minutes of the second half starting, Kettering had doubled their lead, Fine inter-passing between Ranger and Jarvis saw the hosts move the ball with purpose down Lowestoft’s right. Dan got to the by-line and played a ball to the feet of Miller standing on the edge of the six-yard box with Cole tight on his back. Luca showed superb close control pirouetting past the defender before threading the ball through Holt’s legs. 2-0 Kettering 49 mins.

Lowestoft’s captain Cole was involved soon after receiving the first caution of the game taking down Wilson as he got past him lifting his foot to trip Tyree with the ball long gone. The resulting free-kick was wasted with Kettering’s big men coming up for the set-piece the ball in failing to beat the first player. Lowestoft looked to capitalise with a counterattack, but Wilson intercepted the ball played out of defence and carried it forward looking to pick out Ranger in the visitor’s penalty area, but the attack broke down when Nile lost his footing on the wet surface.

Lowestoft had not thrown the towel in and were still looking to attack but were thwarted by the offside flag. After fifty-five minutes, the Trawlerboys managed to avoid the off-side trap but the cross in from the open side was overhit and sailed behind on the full for a goal-kick. Two minutes later, Lowestoft made a double change in an attempt to turn the tide in the match with Haylock and Johnson being replaced by Duffy and Rangel. A long ball forward from Kettering dropped just  outside the Lowestoft penalty area Holt came out of his box to kick the ball clear but it flew straight to Miller. Luca audaciously attempted to lob the keeper from distance but the ball, with the wind having veered during half time, held up and was easy for the goalie.

Just after the hour mark, Wilson was sent down the right wing he checked his run and passed the ball into the middle, but it was intercepted by McIntosh who let the ball bounce off his legs. The ball fell to Duffy who pushed the ball back towards his own goal. Wilson pounced on the loose ball and slid towards it to send it goalwards only to be met by the goalie charging out from his goal. The two players collided leaving both in pain on the floor. The Referee stopped the game with Holt complaining about Wilson’s challenge when in fact Tyree reached the ball first and the keeper slid into him.

Mr Beard restarted the game with a drop ball to Lowestoft in an arbitrary position some five yards outside their penalty area on the opposite side of the pitch. The ball was played into the middle of the park half-way inside the Lowestoft half to the feet of Duffy facing his own goal. Kelly-Evans was straight onto the visitor, whose first touch was poor, allowing Devon to poke the ball forward towards Ranger. Cole was caught on his heels and Nile dashed in front of him to take possession. Already on a yellow card, Cole could not afford to make contact with the Kettering forward being the last man. Nile managed to hold off the defender, pushed the ball past the right-hand side of the advancing Holt, before tucking the ball into the empty goal.

3-0 Kettering 62 mins

Lowestoft did not stop battling and three minutes later a thrust down Kettering’s right saw Clarke surge forward. He cut inside at the edge of the penalty area before firing a fine shot but Jezeph diving full length to his left pushed it behind for a corner. The corner resulted in a second corner, but the ball was played two long and Kettering cleared it with ease.

Mindful of Kettering’s midweek game against Stamford, Kettering made their second substitution of the afternoon after sixty-eight minutes withdrawing forward Tyree Wilson to let loanee Kombe Kawimbe make his debut for the club. Shortly after, Mr Beard produced his second yellow card of the day when Duffy was penalised for a high boot on Kelly-Evans.

Kettering made their third substitution after seventy-two minutes with Johnson making way for Atcha. Sidik’s first contribution was a tackle on the edge of Kettering’s penalty area adjudged a foul by Mr Beard and deserving of a booking. The free kick from a dangerous position was lifted over the crossbar. Another Kettering substitution occurred after seventy-seven minutes with Harlain Mbayo replacing Lewis White.

The game was put beyond Lowestoft’s reach with just over ten minutes to play once again coming from a move down Lowestoft’s right. Ranger and Powell exchanged passes before Nile threaded the ball out wide to Jarvis. Despite being borderline off-side, the Linesman saw nothing wrong. Dan moved the ball onto his right foot and ran along the edge of the penalty area into the middle of the pitch before exquisitely curling a ball aimed towards the far post and nestling into the side netting giving Luke Holt no chance. 4-0 Kettering 79 mins.

With ten minutes to go, Lowestoft made another double substitution with both full-backs Norman and Barbrook being replaced by Eagle and Ruffles. The substitution proved effective as shortly after Lowestoft scored a fine consolation goal passing the ball out from the back. Originally, the ball came down Kettering’s right, but Clarke cut inside before squaring the ball. The ball was played onto Ruffles on the overlap who took the ball to the by-line before driving a low cross into the middle where new signing, on being released from Norwich City, Joe Duffy tapped it home from close range. 4-1 Lowestoft 82 mins

Two minutes later, Kelly-Evans had the chance to restore Kettering’s four goal lead when Kettering played a long ball forward. Devon chased the ball as Holt also came for the ball. Devon ran past the keeper to his right as the ball passed Holt to the left. Distracted by the path of Kelly-Evans, Holt completely missed making contact with the ball. Devon circled behind the keeper and collected the ball and sent it goalwards. However, Cole had chased back and slid in the clear the ball behind with a yard to spare.  

With the fans, and no doubt the majority of the players, looking forward to retreating into the dry, Mr Beard indicated that there would be four additional minutes to suffer the inclement conditions.

  Full Time: Kettering Town 4  Lowestoft Town 1

Despite the rain the Poppies faithful would have left a very damp Latimer Park with smiles on their faces after their team produced a fine display of attacking football capped off with a wonderful goal from Dan Jarvis. Lowestoft were not all at sea though and were rewarded with a consolation goal before the end following a good passing move of their own. Every Kettering player put in a good shift with Nile Ranger improving in every game as he regains match sharpness.

Hopefully, the team will perform to the same high standard on Tuesday night when they face current league leaders fresh from their narrow 1-0 win at Alvechurch. Kettering have a score to settle with the Daniels after their victory at LP last season, coming from behind to win. The turning point in the game coming when Dan Jezeph was sent off and stand-in keeper George Forsyth conceded two goals as an emergency stand-in keeper.

Injuries may play a part with Richard Lavery’s paper thin squad with Isiah Noel-Williams going off at half time after getting a knock and Tyree Wilson limping after colliding with Lowestoft’s goalkeeper. The availability of Kai Fifield and Wes York must also be of some concern.

Kettering Town yellow cards: Atcha – foul  

Lowestoft Town yellow cards: Cole, Duffy – fouls

Attendance: 930

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – Devon Kelly-Evans –

Once again Devon produced a very good display being at the heart of Kettering’s performance. He has been the engine room of KTFC’s midfield this season providing a seemingly endless supply of energy and determination to succeed. It was a shame that he could not put a cherry on the top of his performance with a goal denied only by a last-ditch clearance by a covering defender.

The winning Klondike (06323) of £305 was claimed BY Oliver Terrett of Kettering.