Big confidence boost for Poppies as they get set for another home clash

The Poppies bounced back from last weekend's 2-1 opening-day defeat at Halesowen Town with a superb 4-0 success against Spalding United in front of 889 fans at Latimer Park on Tuesday night.

Wes York scored twice, with Kai Fifield and Tyree Wilson also on target.

And now the Poppies will be looking to back that up in another Pitching-In Southern League Premier Division Central home game this weekend.

The ‘flower’ derby certainly belonged to Kettering on Tuesday night as Richard Lavery’s side outclassed Spalding.

Poppies fans left Latimer Park with wide smiles after watching arguably their best performance for a number of seasons.

To a man Kettering were excellent against a well fancied and lavishly put together Spalding squad – with any number of players making a valid case for man of the match.

York’s inclusion in the starting XI made an immediate impact with his pace and mazy runs causing no end of headaches for the Spalding defence, which was marshalled by former Brackley Town captain Glenn Walker.

But it was Wilson who stole the show with a tenacious performance on both sides of the field.

From the off, Kettering looked dangerous and could have opened the scoring on 13 minutes when York capitalised on a Sam Cartwright mistake, but his run was first halted by Walker and the eventual shot saved by Tony Breeden.

Moments later, Breeden was called into action again, tipping an Andi Thanoj effort round the post.

The opener finally game on 19 minutes. Isiah Noel-Williams surged into the area before cutting the ball back to the waiting York who stabbed home into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Noel-Williams hit the post on 24 minutes with a scrambling Breeden doing just enough gather the ball - but the one-way traffic was set to continue.

Just after the half-hour mark, Kettering struck again. A delightful ball from Ben Hart into the path of York sent up another one-on-one for the forward. York was forced wide after rounding the Spalding keeper and unselfishly squared the ball towards the penalty spot for Wilson to slide home into an empty net.

The Tulips tried to respond almost immediately but Walker saw his shot crash off the woodwork on 33 minutes, whilst at the other end, there was more work for Breeden, whose double save denied Thanoj and Noel-Williams.

After such an entertaining first half, fans would have expected a more measured approach in the second half. But the Poppies had other ideas, creating a chance just 90 seconds after the restart – Wilson finding York yet again but the final header was comfortably caught by Breeden.

Dan Jezeph made his first real save of the game on 51 minutes, producing acrobatics to deny a ferocious shot from substitute Callum Chettle.

After 20 minutes of relative calm, Kettering sealed the three points with their third goal. A well-worked moved between Fifield and Wilson was finished off with a fine strike by the Northampton-born Fifield which fizzed past the wrong-footed Breeden.

The rout was completed seven minutes later when Ben Hart’s cross from the right was tapped home just yards out by York.

Jezeph made another smart save late on to ensure a clean-sheet, but nothing was going to take away the feel-good factor that was washing over Latimer Park.

Poppies boss Lavery was his animated best after the final whistle, roaring 'come on' towards the main stand still full of supporters, while the players enjoyed receiving the high praise directed at them by the fanbase.

For this season to be a successful one, the squad needs to take the next crucial step and be consistent.

High energy performances like Tuesday night will not always get them out of trouble and of course we await to see how the Latimer Park surface plays in the winter months.

But both management staff and supporters are confident that Kettering are well equipped to the take on the challenge.