Another tough task as Poppies face up to an eighth away game in a row

Kettering Town are ready to play their eighth away game in a row in all competitions this weekend.
Chippenham Town celebrate one of their goals during their 2-1 win at Latimer Park earlier this season. Kettering Town make the trip to take on the second-placed side again tomorrowChippenham Town celebrate one of their goals during their 2-1 win at Latimer Park earlier this season. Kettering Town make the trip to take on the second-placed side again tomorrow
Chippenham Town celebrate one of their goals during their 2-1 win at Latimer Park earlier this season. Kettering Town make the trip to take on the second-placed side again tomorrow

And, yet again, it’s another tough one.

An enforced three-week break from matches due to a series of postponements was ended at the end of last month when the Poppies had back-to-back away games at play-off contenders Weymouth and Hungerford Town.

Marcus Law’s team slipped to respective 3-2 and 2-1 defeats, which have dented their own top-five aspirations in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division.

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After another week of inactivity as their two home matches with Paulton Rovers and Leamington fell foul of the Latimer Park pitch, Kettering go back into action tomorrow (Saturday) when they head to second-placed Chippenham Town who are currently battling it out with Poole Town for the sole automatic promotion place.

Chippenham claimed a narrow 2-1 win at Latimer Park in October and while Law feels the lack of games are having a negative effect on his players, he believes they are capable of producing a much-needed positive this weekend.

“It will be our eighth away game in a row and there was obviously an extensive break between some of those as well,” the Poppies boss said.

“We are going to the team who are second so it is tough, it’s making things difficult but it is what it is.

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“There is pressure on Chippenham because they need to stay in the mix at the very top.

“I was always told that a good run has to end at some point and a bad run has to end at some point. And we can go there knowing that there wasn’t much between us last time we met in October.

“I believe we are stronger now than we were then but our problem at the moment is the lack of game time that the players have been getting.

“We have had another week without any games and then we are being thrown into another very tough one.

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“While we have the games in hand, there is an expectation on us to challenge for those play-off places.

“We are going to have a lot of matches to play with no let up and it’s important we do what we can to turn those into positive results.”

Law, meanwhile, has admitted it has been difficult to keep the Kettering players “buoyant” during such a frustrating period.

The Poppies haven’t played at home since December 5 but are due to be back at Latimer Park next Tuesday with Frome Town the visitors.

“The players are ready to play,” he added.

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“To be honest, keeping them buoyant and keeping their mindsets right is a big challenge at the moment.

“There’s nothing worse than gearing yourself up for a game, only to get that phone call to say it’s not happening.

“But we will plan and prepare for this weekend and we will be ready for another tough one.”