Boss Glover admits Poppies' performance 'not good enough' in loss at Gloucester

And with wins elsewhere for Leamington and Farsley Celtic, the loss means the Poppies are now just three points above the Vanarama National League North relegation zone with 10 games to go.

Kettering went into the game off the back of a 1-0 reverse at Hereford on Saturday in a game that manager Lee Glover felt his side deserved to take something from.

But the Poppies boss felt his side got exactly what they deserved at Gloucester, who won it thanks to two second-half goals from Kieran Phillips.

"We have had a couple of good results at home, and then two poor ones away from home," said an unhappy Glover.

"Hereford I could take because we had a bit of a go, but on Tuesday the performance wasn't enough, nowhere near it.

"I thought we looked off it, we didn't get round the pitch well, but I also have to say I thought Gloucester played really, really well.

"But we didn't get enough all round the pitch.

"We had had a couple of great chances there at the end, but it was nowhere near enough and I think that was like a performance we had back in October, November time.

"It was like going back to those times away from home, and it was not good enough. Not good enough at all."

Kettering were without key players Jimmy Knowles and Franki Maguire due to injury, but Glover did see their absence as an excuse for such a lack-lustre performance.

And he knows that ahead of Saturday's home date with Chorley, the pressure is back on his side.

"We did really well for a good spell there, but on Tuesday night we went backwards to where we were and shouldnt be. That's not good enough," said the Poppies boss.

"Luckily we have had a good run, but performances like that we can't have them.

"We need to massively bounce back on Saturday and we need to get back in the groove again."

Lee Glover was talking to Peter Short (@Northants:egend)