“Gone with the wind” was one fans verdict on the Poppies playoff chances following the biblical weather which featured in the frustrating 0-0 draw on Tuesday night against Banbury United. However, KTFC are certainly not out of the hunt for a top five finish as the unbeaten run hopefully continues on Saturday as the Red army travel to Barwell, kick off 15:00.

‘The Canaries’ suffered a devastating 2-4 home defeat on Saturday despite being 2-1 up at half time and then losing three second half goals in a game which featured three penalties. Barwell’s recent league form has been woeful, with just one win and thirteen losses in their last fourteen games. With five defeats in their last five matches (2-4 against Sudbury; 1-2 away at Worcester City; 0-1 at home to Royston Town; 3-0 away to Harborough and 2-6 again at home to Halesowen Town). This leaves ‘The Canaries’, managed by Damion Beckford-Quailey and Andy Wilson following the recent departure of Jimmy Ginnelly, thirteen places below KTFC in twentieth place entrenched in the relegation zone, with twenty-six points separating the teams with the former having played a game more. In the form league, Barwell are in bottom place with no points from their previous five games. However, they are in lowly twentieth place in the comparative home standings taking eighteen points from seventeen games.

Barwell have recently secured the services of three Derby County Academy players Jack Perry, Harry Hawkins (defenders) and midfielder Billy Gough to bolster their first team ahead of Saturday’s game.

For the Poppies, with the transfer window closed for this season, the club have signed Harvey Peters from AFC Sudbury as we head towards the business end of the campaign.

KTFC are unbeaten in our past four games. In our last five matches KTFC have recorded three wins ( 3-1 against Quorn; back-to-back wins against AFC Sudbury 1-4 and 6-0;) a single draw (0-0 at home to Banbury United) and a 0-2 defeat at home against Alvechurch) scoring fourteen and conceding four. The Poppies have lost only once in the past eleven matches.

Kettering are second the in-form league, just behind Harborough Town by a point taking ten points from a possible fifteen in our past five matches and are sixth in the overall away table with twenty-seven points from eighteen games. The Poppies remain in seventh place in the league with fifty-eight points, just two points off the playoff places with one game in hand on current fifth placed Quorn and fourth placed Halesowen Town.   

At the top of the table, league leaders Harborough Town, who have secured their playoff place with a 2-2 draw in midweek against Real Bedford, are at home to Bury Town, Spalding United entertain Bromsgrove Sporting, with Real Bedford in third hosting Halesowen Town in fourth and Quorn travelling to Stratford.

Whist the teams have met a total of eleven times in all competitions, last time out, the Poppies won 1-2 at the Crown Skip Hire Stadium, Kirkby Sports Ground with goals from Loza (pen) and Glennon, (whose team Leamington were relegated this week). With seven games left to play, four at home, the run in against four top ten teams, two mid table and Saturday’s opponents mean there are no easy games. Especially as Barwell have a new management team and are in a relegation scrap with only three points separating four teams for the last two places in the drop zone. On form alone, KTFC should gain three points. However, as we have seen against Alvechurch the Poppies have not played their best against lower placed opposition.

However, as Scarlett says during the last scene of Gone with the Wind, ..”After all, tomorrow is a new day!” so let’s get behind Liam and the team as the exciting run in goes down to the wire.

Enjoy the game.

BARWELL

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2012-13        H        ESP*            1-2     198     Hicks (p)

                     A        ESP              2-1     208     Wilson.2

2018-19        H        ESLSPC       0-1     1039

                     A        ESLSPC       1-0     454     Kelly

                     H        CSSCC3+     1-1     111     Holman

2022-23        A        FAC2Q         4-1     402     Gascoigne, Sheriff.3 (1p)

2023-24        H        PISLPC        2-1     857     Yussuf.2

                     A        PISLPC        2-3     428     White, Lewthwaite

2024-25        H        PISLPC        3-0     928     Ranger, Pennant, York

                     A        PISLPC        1-2     415     Edwards (p)

2025-26        H        PISLPC        2-1      1141  Loza (p), Glennon

* Played at Corby Town

+ Poppies won 4-3 on penalties

POPPIES WINS:      6                                       GOALS FOR:                      19

BARWELL WINS:    4                                        GOALS AGAINST:              13

DRAWS                  1+

Most goals in a game for the Poppies v Barwell (3)

Decarrey Sheriff (2022-23)

Played for both clubs (40)                                                  

Managed both clubs (1)

Marcus Law

Managers (1)

Ian King

Assistant manager both clubs (2)

Paul O’Brien, Richard Lavery.

League debuts (3)

Brandon Barker                 2025-26 (h)

Jahvan Davidson-Miller      2018-19 (a)

Joe Massaro                     2018-19 (h)

Club debuts (1)

Bradley Kauzeni                2018-19 (h) (League Cup)

Kettering Town players sent off v Barwell (1)

Lindon Meikle                    2018-19 (a)

Barwell players sent off v Kettering Town (1)

Eddie Nisevic                     2018-19 (a)

Poppies players who have scored for Barwell against Kettering Town (1)

Dan Holman (2023-24)

Canaries players who have scored against Barwell for Kettering Town (1)

Dan Holman (2018-18)

BARWELL

Manager                           Damion Beckford-Quailey and Andy Wilson 

Ground                             Crown Skip Hire Stadium, Kirkby Sports Ground

Nickname                         The Canaries

Position in League           20^th – 32pys from 35 games

Top League Scorer          10 – Anthony Dwyer

FORM (last 5)

POPPIES                LWWWD      10pts

BARWELL               LLLLL           0pts

BARWELL SO FAR…