Boss Lavery delighted as Kettering Town get back on track with comfortable win
Richard Lavery was delighted with his team's performance as they returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 win over struggling Barwell at Latimer Park on Saturday.
The Poppies have endured a tough start to 2025, losing four out of five of their Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central matches, a run that saw them drop from top to fifth in the table.
They went into the weekend off the back of a desperately disappointing 1-0 defeat at Banbury United last midweek, but they were much more like their old selves on Saturday as goals from Nile Ranger, Isiah Noel-Williams and Wes York secured the three points.
The win lifts the Poppies back up to fourth and to within three points of new leaders Bedford Town, with the little matter of four games in hand as well.
"That is three points that were overdue," said Lavery. "I know we got the win at Sudbury the other week, but Saturday was a good team performance in the first half.
"In the second half we dropped off a little bit, but we got the second goal and the game was dead and buried. We needed a performance like that, and we needed goals.
"We have got three goals and more importantly we have kept another clean sheet, so that is just one goal conceded in three matches, and that was a problem beforehand.
"Now we have secured things defensively, we need to be better at the other end, and we were on Saturday."
Although relieved to get the result, Lavery insists he never doubted his team would come good again, saying: "I never doubted myself, and I never doubted the players because I know what they have got in the locker.
"They showed it in the first half, they played some great stuff on not a great pitch, and we got our rewards.
"For once we have taken points while others have dropped points, and we have to look after ourselves.
"We have games in hand, and of course they are no good unless you win them, although I would rather have them.
"So going into next week we will have a full week of training ahead of the Stourbridge game, and hopefully Saturday's win will breed a little bit of confidence for the lads."
The Poppies return to action next Saturday with that trip to Stourbridge, before travelling to Bedford Town the following Friday (Feb 21).
Quotes courtesy of Peter Short