Two shots, two goals and a series of missed chances for Poppies on a windy Tuesday night at Latimer Park led to a disappointing 0-2 defeat against a resilient Alvechurch who were well versed in the dark arts as part of their ambition to stave off any relegation concerns.

However, we go again as the next game sees the Red Army on the road this time heading to Suffolk for the first of a double header against AFC Sudbury on Saturday kick off 15:00 at the MEL Group Stadium.

Sudbury, a historic market town in Suffolk, England, is most famous as the birthplace of 18th-century portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough, whose home is now a major museum. It is a renowned center for high-quality silk weaving (producing 95% of UK silk) and is recognized for its scenic water meadows, medieval architecture, and as a former wool town.

The Suds suffered a disappointing home 1-3 defeat to fellow strugglers Stamford on Saturday with former Poppy Leon Lobjoit scoring twice. This defeat, with no wins in their last ten games and only one draw (0-0 at Worcester City) in twelve with eleven defeats illustrates the dire straits that the club find themselves during the run-in to the end of the season. This leaves Sudbury, managed by Tommy Austin, eleven places below KTFC in twenty-first place firmly entrenched in the relegation zone, with twenty-six points separating the teams with the former having played two games more. In the form league, they reside in twenty-first place with a solitary one point from their previous five games. However, the Suds are also in twenty-first place in the comparative home standings having achieved thirteen points from seventeen games with only one home win back in November 2-1 versus St Ives Town.

For the Poppies, with the news that Callum Powell has joined Tuesday’s victors Alvechurch on loan, there are no new additions to the squad at the time of going to press.

A noticeably jaded KTFC side lost their unbeaten run however, we still have three wins (1-0 at home to Bromsgrove; 2-0 at home against Stratford Town; 1-3 away against St Ives) and one draw (1-1 Stourbridge) and one loss (0-2 Alvechurch) in our past five games. The Poppies have only lost three in our past ten games.

Kettering fall to sixth place in the league’s form table taking ten points from a possible fifteen in our past five matches but are eighth in the overall away table securing twenty-four points from seventeen games. The Poppies now reside in eleventh place with forty-eight points, still seven points off the playoff places with two games in hand on current fifth placed Redditch United.   

This weekend’s matches see top of the table Harborough Town play third placed Real Bedford, Spalding United are at home against Halesowen Town in sixth, Quorn entertain improving Banbury United in eighth and Redditch United travel to mid table Bury Town.  

AFC Sudbury have never beaten Kettering with the latter winning all four previous encounters. However, as we have seen with the Alvechurch result, The Sud’s lowly league position will have no bearing on Saturday’s match and with games running out each point for both sides becomes crucial. We play Sudbury again on Tuesday back at Latimer Park so with six points available, these will be hard fought games. The Poppies have ten games left to produce a play off place and it all starts again at the MEL Group Stadium on Saturday so let’s get behind Liam and the team to secure three points.

Enjoy the game.

AFC SUDBURY

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2023-24        H        PISLPC        2-0     647     Jarvis, Yussuf

A        PISLPC        1-0     445     Reindorf

2024-25        H        PISLPC        2-1      1439  Johnson, Miller

                     A        PISLPC        1-0     383     Pennant

POPPIES WINS                 4                             GOALS FOR                       6

THE SUDS WINS              0                             GOALS AGAINST               1

DRAWS                            0

Players who have played for both clubs (9)

Glen Beech*, Sam Banya*, Trevor Slack*, Trevor Quow*, Neil Pope*, Gary Setchell, Bradley Thomas, Paul Walker, Finlay Corrigan, Ben Isaacson.

*Sudbury Town.

League debuts (1)

Alex Gudger            01:02:25 (a)

AFC SUDBURY

Manager                           Tommy Austin

Ground                             The Elite Travel Stadium

Nickname                         The Suds

Position in League           21^st – 22pts from 33 games

FORM
POPPIES                DWWWL      10pts
THE SUDS              LDLLL           1pt

THE SUDS SO FAR……