Coach Ben delighted with Kettering's response

Kettering Town first-team coach Ben Marvin was delighted with the response of the Kettering Town players as they returned to winning ways with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Blyth Spartans at Latimer Park.

Callum Powell opened the scoring with an early goal before a double from captain Connor Kennedy, the first of which was a superb volley, and a first goal for the club from FC Halifax Town loanee Gerry McDonagh earned all three points in comprehensive fashion.

The win was much-needed after a run of five matches without a victory in all competitions.

And coach Marvin, who was on media duties after the final whistle, was pleased with what he saw.

“We are really happy with the boys,” he said.

“They responded well. They have had a bit of criticism from the last few games, there have been some tough ones.

“But they responded well. We have had a few meetings with them, all aimed at trying to get us back to what made us good and what made us get up the league early in the season.

“We went 1-0 up early like we did against Darlington but we warned the boys, we told them not to rest on their laurels.

“When we go in the lead early, we have to keep going and they kept doing what has made us a good side. In the end, we have come out with a positive result.

“Even at 2-0 and 3-0 up, we wanted the lads to keep doing it, keep trying to play the fluid football.

“When you start relaxing, you can easily let a team back into it as we did with the FA Cup game with Buxton.

“They kept going, we’ve scored some goals and they chucked everything at us towards the end but clean sheets are what you want.

“We are more than happy with the win and the spirit is high in there after that.”

The Poppies, who sit in 14th place in the Vanarama National League North, are back in action on Tuesday night with a tough trip to third-placed Chorley.