Cox fumes at 'fragmented and individualistic' Poppies

Paul Cox was left fuming with Kettering Town's display as they were beaten 3-1 at home by Darlington. Pictures by Peter Short

A seething Paul Cox felt Kettering Town looked “fragmented and individualistic” as they were well beaten 3-1 by Darlington at Latimer Park.

It’s now four games without a win in all competitions for the Poppies after they slipped to a third defeat of the season in the Vanarama National League North - dropping down to 15th place in the table in the process.

Having not played for nearly three weeks due to Covid-19 in the squad, Kettering made the perfect start when Darlington defender Jake Cooper inexplicably headed the ball over his own goalkeeper to give the hosts the lead.

The Poppies made the perfect start when Darlington's Jake Cooper headed over his own goalkeeper to give them the lead

However, aside from Luke O’Neill’s free-kick which clipped the top of the crossbar, the Poppies never really threatened the Darlington goal again.

The visitors, on the other hand, sprung into life after Jack Lambert brought them level with a superb free-kick which went in off the post.

They were dominant after the break and Cooper made amends by heading home a corner to make it 2-1 before Will Hatfield rounded things off with a late penalty after a foul in the area.

There were no arguments at the final outcome from Poppies boss Cox.

Jack Lambert levelled for Darlington with this fine free-kick

He insists the buck stops with him but he was furious with the way his team performed and insists they must return to their impressive early-season form as quickly as possible.

The Kettering manager said: “I thought Darlington were the better side after the first 15 minutes. They were the better side from back to front.

“It’s not very often I have been into this group and questioned ethics but that has followed on from the latter stages of both games with Buxton where we do all the hard work and do the basics well and then, for some reason, stop doing what we’re good at.

“What I am annoyed about is that this isn’t down to the physicality, it’s the mentality.

Jake Cooper made amends for his own-goal as he headed Darlington into a 2-1 lead

“In fragments, we looked like a team of individuals, not a proper team.

“We have had some plaudits from the start of the season and I listened to Darlington’s manager talking before the game and we were nothing like what he expected.

“He must have gone in there laughing his head off because we are starting to look fragmented and individualistic.

“That’s not us and the buck stops with me. I have to do something about it.

The Poppies' misery was compounded when Will Hatfield scored a late penalty to complete Darlington's 3-1 victory

“We have to get back to basics. It’s all about winning matches and, where we are, it’s looking like some players are feeling they can relax but no-one can relax in football.

“I have to give Darlington credit. They worked extremely hard, they worked harder than us.

“I can listen to all the excuses of 10 days off - I’m not buying it, I’m not having it.

“There are no excuses and we will get back to the standards we have set one way or another.

“It starts on Tuesday and then Thursday and then Saturday. It might not be overnight but I will now work even harder. If it needs adjusting, I will adjust it.

“There have been some strong words in there (in the dressing-room).

“We have to believe in what we do and if one or two want to go off on their own tangent and do what they want to do then that’s not a problem, they can go and do it at another club.

“I am here to build a good team and, at the start of the season, that’s what we were.

“I thought we looked a top-10 side but now we look fragmented and individualistic.

“I might have to clip one or two ear holes, bring one or two back down to earth and remind them that we are where we are for a reason.

“You have to go and earn respect and we never earned the right to play in this game

“They were expecting a game here and we didn’t give them one. It’s up to me to put things back on track. We need to get back on it.”

Kettering are in midweek action on Tuesday night when they head to AFC Rushden & Diamonds in the quarter-finals of the NFA Hillier Senior Cup.