‘Discipline’ has been the key as Poppies build solid defences

Slowly but surely, Lee Glover’s team have shown improvement as the season has gone on and with February touted as a big month in their bid for survival in the Vanarama National League North, they can now reflect on a job well done.

The Poppies started the month with 29 points and finished it with 41 as they picked up three wins, three draws and just one defeat from seven matches.

And it has all been built on their defensive unit.

Kettering conceded just one goal in February in the 1-0 defeat at Blyth Spartans but, other than that, their defences were not breached and as they saw off Brackley Town and Curzon Ashton in 1-0 wins this week, they set a new club record with it now being 506 minutes since they conceded a goal at home in the league.

Those two victories have seen the Poppies move seven points clear of the relegation zone.

And when asked what has changed defensively over the last few weeks, boss Lee Glover said: “I just think the discipline of the group is good.

“The whole group are getting in better positions to stop balls forward and stop people from getting into gaps.

“They are all working that hard to keep the ball out at one end and put it in at the other.”

While Kettering have seemingly now given themselves a huge chance of avoiding the drop, there should also be caution with 11 of their remaining 12 matches being against teams currently above them including clashes with five of the current top seven.

The Poppies head to Hereford on Saturday before another away-day at Gloucester City next Tuesday evening.

But Glover believes his team now have enough firepower to trouble anyone.

“The teams higher up have got that extra bit of quality that you have to be mindful of,” he added.

“But we have got people in those front areas who can create against anyone.

“We might not always be prolific but we do carry a threat and as long as we maintain our structure and our discipline, we will be okay.”