Our game on Saturday had it all, six goals, a sending off, a penalty, two pheasants on the pitch and an away supporter who thought that he could prevent a throw in being taken, who says that Non- League football isn’t exciting? Following the hard fought 3-3 draw against Bury Town, KTFC return to Latimer Park where Royston Town are the visitors for Match Day 22 on Saturday kick off 15:00.
The Crows, narrowly lost 2-3 away on Saturday to Stourbridge who also ended Harborough’s league unbeaten run in midweek. Despite coming back twice to equalise, the defeat leaves Royston propping up the league in twenty-second place, eleven points from safety having only won two games all season. The Crows, without a win in five, visit Latimer Park on a perilous run of form with no wins, two draws (at home to AFC Sudbury 3-3; 1-1 at home to Barwell) and three draws (0-1 away at Worcester City; 0-2 away at fellows strugglers AFC Stamford and 2-3 at home versus Stourbridge). These results leave Royston anchored in the relegation zone achieving only thirteen points from twenty-two games. In terms of the form table, The Crows lie in last place, seven places below KTFC, with two points from five games. However, Royston can claim a small victory in that their away form is better than AFC Stamford’s nevertheless they are in twenty-first place after eleven games scoring six but conceding twenty-four away from Garden Walk.
In stark contrast, Kettering Town have picked up five points in our last three unbeaten games and despite a lacklustre start to Saturday’s game, showed a commitment and drive to come back twice to secure a draw against a combative Bury Town side.
Over the past five games, KTFC have endured two losses (2-1 at Stamford; 3-0 away at Bromsgrove) and one win (5-0 at home vs. Stourbridge) and two draws (at Halesowen 1-1 and the 3-3 home result against Bury Town). KTFC remain in eleventh place in the league achieving twenty-nine points, seven points off the play-offs places although Real Bedford on sixth place have three games in hand.
Form-wise, the Poppies are firmly in the lower half of the table in fifteenth place with five points from our last five games. However, in the home form table they are in sixteenth position with fifteen points from our last ten games.
When it comes to promotion hopefuls, there are a couple of Christmas crackers in store today with league leaders Spalding United entertaining in form Real Bedford in sixth, Harborough Town fresh from their first league defeat travel to fifth placed Needham Market, Quorn are away to the much improved Worcester City and Redditch United entertain AFC Sudbury.
With Christmas almost upon us, the games are coming thick and fast and Liam McDonald has moved swiftly to bolster his attacking midfield options with the arrival of loanee Ethan Fitzhugh from Gateshead FC and the recent signing of defender Ben Isaacson.
We have played The Crows back in August and won 3-4 with goals from Crowther, Ranger, Loza and Oppong but this a different match with a transformed team. We said it when we played Stamford, this is a must win, however, we know from bitter experience that there is no easy game in this league. With Harborough Town awaiting us in the next game let’s hope for continued momentum and an early Christmas present for all Poppies fans with three points today.
Enjoy the game.
COYP!
