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The crucial battle at the bottom of the Vanarama National League North went the way of the Poppies in front of a season-high home attendance of 1,071.

The game swung in Kettering’s favour on 37 minutes when visiting defender Theo Streete was sent-off for pulling down Jimmy Knowles in the area and the Mansfield Town loanee picked himself to score the resulting penalty.

And two substitutes helped finish the job, much to Glover’s delight, as Lewis White headed home the second goal on 76 minutes before Sam Bennett rounded it off in stoppage-time.

Sam Bennett heads off to celebrate after rounding off Kettering Town's 3-0 win over Leamington. Pictures by Peter Short

The win saw the Poppies move four points clear of Leamington who remain in the final relegation slot with the two teams now having three games each to play.

But Glover was quick to warn his team that there is still work to do before safety can be confirmed.

“The nerves were there because, at 1-0, you know that 10 men can always be a threat,” the Poppies boss said.

“Just before half-time, they put a long ball into our box and there was a bit of a kerfuffle so we had to be careful.

Lee Glover shakes hands with opposite number Paul Holleran after the Poppies' victory on Easter Monday

“We said at half-time, ‘let’s get the next goal’. Everything was positive, we wanted to keep doing what we were doing and wanted to use the space in behind them.

“We wanted to keep the momentum and we had a spell where we didn’t score but then Whitey came on and scored a great header.

“And he’s deserved that because he’s been left out of the squad through having an illness and then a knock but he was fantastic before then.

“He was aggressive when he came on and then Sam got his goal as well. He’s finding his feet at this level.

Lewis White heads home the Poppies' second goal

“But the experienced players all stood up and really held us together.

“The result is fantastic but it means nothing really because we have still got to go and win again.

“But what it does do is it just picks people up. A clean sheet, three goals and a win restores a bit of belief.”

The Poppies, who have struggled so badly away from home this season, now face a long trek to Spennymoor Town at the weekend.

Boss Glover feels Poppies restored a ‘bit of belief’ with vital win