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The Poppies were condemned to a third defeat in as many games with a 3-2 loss at Barwell making it the club’s worst start to a league season for 10 years.

It was a quick turnaround for Leese and his players following the 4-2 home defeat to Stourbridge at the weekend but the Poppies, who handed a first start to academy product Luca Miller who struck the crossbar early on, found themselves 3-0 down just past the hour mark with former Kettering frontman Dan Holman scoring Barwell’s third goal.

Leese’s team did produce a late fightback courtesy of goals from Lewis White and Tyrone Lewthwaite, with his third in as many matches.

Andy Leese's reaction after the final whistle told the story as Kettering Town slumped to a third defeat in a row at Barwell. Pictures by Peter Short

But, as the manager himself observed, it was all too late as the Poppies were left languishing in the lower reaches of the early league standings.

“I’m not papering over any cracks, I didn’t on Saturday and I won’t this time,” boss Leese said.

“It was way too late. We were outfought, outthought, outmuscled and outbattled. It was way too late to fight back.

“It was men against boys for probably 70 minutes of the game, it was unacceptable.

Tom Cursons opened the scoring for Barwell in the Poppies' 3-2 loss

“I haven’t changed my mind. We have come here with a pretty stretched squad with no Sam Bennett and there were one or two not fully fit who had to play.

“But there’s no excuses, we have got the squad but we are going to have to find some players who are attuned to the level, who are up for the battle every week and want to come and play for the club.

“I’m not saying we have players who don’t want to play for the club but it would appear there are players who don’t want to take on board what is asked of them.

“I asked them in there (the dressing-room) what the issues are and that will have to stay confidential but the answers are not acceptable either.

Lewis White pulled a goal back for the Poppies to make it 3-1 but the late rally wasn't enough to prevent a defeat

“It’s a very chastening evening.

“I have managed probably 1,400 to 1,500 games of football and probably seen double that amount so my eyes tell me what’s good and what’s not.

“And I thought that in pre-season, as a group defensively we were resilient. But you’ve seen again tonight that, in actual fact, we’re not. It’s bitterly disappointing.”

The Poppies are back in action at Latimer Park on Saturday when they host Halesowen Town.

A ‘chastening evening’ for boss Leese as Poppies are beaten again