Drama guaranteed as the crucial day arrives in Poppies’ survival scrap
Lee Glover insists his Kettering Town players can’t “shy away” from their huge showdown with Leamington today (Easter Monday, 3pm kick-off).
It promises to be a dramatic day at the bottom of the Vanarama National League North as teams scramble for safety with just four games to go.
As it stands, AFC Telford United have already been relegated with Bradford (Park Avenue) eight points adrift of safety.
Third-from-bottom Blyth Spartans are on 43 points with Leamington, who occupy the final relegation slot, now on 45 after they beat Hereford 2-0 on Saturday.
The Poppies and Farsley Celtic are just outside the drop-zone on 46 points after both were well beaten at King’s Lynn Town and Boston United respectively at the weekend.
And so much now rests on this afternoon as, while Kettering take on Leamington at Latimer Park, Farsley entertain Blyth in another huge encounter.
The Poppies are heading into the clash with the Brakes on a run of eight games without a win with their last three-point haul being when they beat Curzon Ashton 1-0 on February 28.
And Glover knows his team will have to “stand up” on what is set to be a nerve-jangling afternoon.
“Leamington’s win brought them closer to us and Farsley and it’s really tight in there,” the Poppies boss said.
“You have to embrace it, you can’t shy away from it.
“You have to stand up, know the situation, know what needs to be done and come out with that real intense energy and resilience.
“We know what we need to do and now we have to go and do it.”
One of the few positives for the Poppies on Saturday was the return of striker Jimmy Knowles.
The Mansfield Town loanee had missed the previous three games after suffering a hamstring injury in the goalless draw at Southport.
But he is now back in the frame and Glover was also impressed with the efforts of Ben Sault, Lewis White and Decarrey Sheriff, who was on target at The Walkes, as they all came off the bench and performed well, despite the losing cause at King’s Lynn.
“Jimmy did really well,” the Poppies boss said.
“We could only give him an hour because we didn’t want to push it with a hamstring injury but he looked promising with what he did.
“I have to say Ben Sault, Whitey and Decarrey came on and did well.
“I had a pop at Decarrey when he got his chance late on against Scarborough but I wanted chances to fall to him.
“The three of them might come into consideration for Leamington.”