Boss McDonald relieved as Kettering Town send football-starved supporters home happy

In their first home game since December 20, the Poppies stretched their unbeaten run to five matches as first-half goals from Preston Bitemo and Ben Isaacson saw them clinch a win that sees them close to within seven points of the play-offs.

It was a relief for everybody at the club to stage a home game for the first time in 73 days after a string of postponements, and although felt his team weren't firing on all cylinders, they were well worth their win.

And the Poppies boss had special words of praise for goalkeeper Paul White, who played his first game since suffering a serious arm injury on the opening day of the season, and kept a clean sheet.

"Getting the first goal was important, and the boys went and did that, although it was probably against the run of play," McDonald told the Kettering Town YouTube channel.

"The first 10 minutes was tough and they had a couple of good chances, but Whitey coming back in after seven months out was brilliant, I thought he was outstanding.

"We then got the goals, and in the second half it was about coming out and making sure we did the right things at the right times, playing on the counter-attack even though we are at home.

"We absorbed the pressure and then hit them on the counter, and then in the last 20 minutes it was comfortable for us in the end.

"Our game management is very good at the minute and has been on this run we have been on.

"As a group the players are full of confidence, and there is that confidence in the group that we are going to keep a clean sheet, and if we do that we are going to keep this run going.

"We are playing okay, we weren't great against Stratford or on Saturday, but we were comfortable in and out of possession which is key.

"It was a pleasing win, but I don't want to get carried away as we play Stratford again soon, so we want to make sure we are focused."

And on the return to Latimer Park, McDonald added: "Being at home has been fantastic, and all day at work I was looking forward to walking out to see our fans and them seeing how this group has evolved, because we have been away for so long.

"We have such good fans, and I said to the boys it was about winning. Yes, we can put on a show, but winning games is more important at this stage of the season.

"It is nice for the fans because it has been a long time, and it has been difficult for some to keep travelling, so we wanted to make sure we came back here with a win."

The Poppies are back at home on Saturday when they host Bromsgrove Sporting (ko 3pm).