Boss Lavery keen for Poppies to play it again as they chase more FA Cup glory

​It's a case of 'as you were' for Kettering Town as they prepare for Sunday's huge FA Cup second round clash against Doncaster Rovers at Latimer Park (ko midday).

Manager Richard Lavery is determined to keep things as normal as possible for his players in the build up to the midday kick-off as they look to repeat their first round heroics at Northampton Town.

The Poppies were 2-1 winners after extra-time against the Cobblers at Sixfields, and Lavery is hoping a similar pre-match approach to this weekend's clash with Rovers can again pay dividends.

It is a huge day for the club, with a crowd of 3,000-plus expected at Latimer Park, and the BBC2 cameras broadcasting the action across the nation and beyond, but Lavery will be doing his best to play things down.

And if they do that, and can play to their potential, then another giant-killing could be on the cards.

"I am not the sort of person who changes things, and I try to get on with it as normal like we did for the game against Northampton," said the Kettering boss.

"We know it's not a normal game, but you just try and treat it as a normal one and keep your feet on the floor.

"For me, like it was with the Northampton game, this is a win-win situation.

"We are not expected to win the match, so the pressure is all on Doncaster Rovers.

"It happened against Northampton, we have turned up and put a shift in and on the day I thought we were the better team.

"I will back my players to hilt, I have got some good players in that changing room and they are good lads.

"We are going well in the league and we have momentum going into this game, so we can go out there with confidence.

"Whatever happens we will give a good account of ourselves, and hopefully we can pull off another upset."

This is turning into something of a dream season for Lavery and the Poppies, with Sunday’s Cup clash the latest chapter of a riveting story.

Unbeaten in nine matches, four points clear at the top of the Pitching-In Northern League Premier Central, and in the second round of the FA Cup having humbled their big county rivals in their own backyard, things couldn’t be going much better.

So has Lavery dared to dream about the possibility of seeing off Doncaster and setting up a third round clash against one of the country’s Premier League giants?

"I haven’t really, no,” said Lavery.

"I would love to get to the third round and draw a Premier League team, like any manager would, and it would be great for Kettering and the club's fans.

"But it is all about one hurdle at a time, and we have got to get through Doncaster first which is not going to be easy is it?

"But if we do get through on Sunday then, yeah the place will be jumping.

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens won’t we?"

THE TV coverage of the Poppies’ clash with Doncaster starts at 11.45am on BBC2 on Sunday morning. Kick-off at Latimer Park is at midday.