Gloom gathering for struggling Kettering Town as they are outclassed again

With the Boxing Day horror performance at St Ives still firmly in their minds, when Jim Le Masurier’s side were humbled 6-0, the Poppies players set out to show that they had the skills and desire to get themselves out of a tricky position.

And for the large part of the first half they succeeded.

The immediate inclusion of George Forsyth, returning to the club on loan from AFC Telford United, paid dividends, with the midfielder directing traffic and adding much needed fire in the bellies of his new team-mates.

No clear-cut chances were created by either side for the first part of the half.

However both teams were denied taking the lead by the woodwork.

On 23 minutes Dan Morphew leapt highest but could only watch his header from a Needham corner crash against the crossbar.

Defence turned into attack and the Poppies rushed up the field with the ball released into the path of Northampton Town loanee Neo Dobson.

The striker just had Marcus Garnham to beat but his passing shot came off the base of far post.

Needham went close twice either side of the half-hour mark but both headers went wide of Billy Johnson’s goal.

For the umpteenth time this season the warnings weren’t heeded, and the hosts finally opened the scoring on 43 minutes - Jacob Lay and Tom Smith linked well on the left side with the latter putting the ball across the face of goal for Luke Ingram to poke home.

Despite the setback Kettering were still competing with their loftier opponents and will have went in at half-time confident of making an impact on the score line.

The Marketmen had other ideas and came out after the break like a steam train and Johnson saved smartly from Tevan Allen on 47 minutes.

A minute later and the shot-stopper held on well to Kyle Hammond’s fierce shot. The onslaught continued with Johnson again needing to turn away a Jamie McGrath header on 58 minutes.

An inevitable second goal came on the hour mark and McGrath didn’t miss this time - not that he could have from four yards out - beating the offside trap before calmly finishing.

The Poppies players’ heads immediately dropped with da-ja-vu clearly setting in for staff and fans alike.

Johnson made yet another fine save on 76 minutes tipping away a curling free kick effort from substitute Dylan Williams, but the gloveman could only do so much with wave after wave of attack coming from Needham.

The third goal came a minute later - a well struck effort from 20 yards out by the new Ipswich loanee signing Nico Valentine.

Further gloss was added to the result for the home-side when McGrath weaved his way into the Poppies box before unleashing his shot past Johnson on 78 minutes.

The Poppies remain four points from safety with another relegation threatened side, Stourbridge their next challenge.

Its the ultimate six pointer, with Stourbridge two places and four points better off than the Poppies.

The last time the two sides met at the War Memorial Ground, both were challenging for the Southern League title and Tom Knowles became an immediate cult-hero.

How the Poppies need a little bit of that magic next Saturday, before it’s too late!