Goal stars Ranger and Edwards send on-song Kettering Town up to second

Nile Ranger equalises for Kettering Town at Bromsgrove (Picture: Peter Short)

Kettering Town managed to put their FA Cup excitement to one side and left Worcestershire with all three points after beating Bromsgrove Sporting 2-1 in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central on Tuesday night.

For all of the romance of the Cup, it's the bread and butter of the league that will ultimately decide if the Poppies have had a successful season.

After much hype about the dream draw at the Cobblers, the Poppies players were able to dig deep to come back from behind, and remind the other teams in the Southern League that they are some side to beat.

And with the marquee signing of Jonny Edwards coming earlier in the week scoring the winner, Kettering fans are already starting to think the unthinkable in mid-October.

New Kettering signing Jonny Edwards slots home the winning penalty at Bromsgrove (Picture: Peter Short)

Kettering started understandably leggy after their long trip up north at the weekend, but Ty Wilson was still able to produce the first effort of the match after just two minutes.

The visitors also wasted a number of early dead ball opportunities and on a rare counter attack Bromsgrove took the lead on 27 minutes.

Jamie Meddows whipped in a superb cross for Ethan Patterson to bundle into the net.

Kettering tried to response and it took a fine Price save from Wes York's fizzing effort on 34 minutes to retain the hosts lead.

But as half-time neared, the Poppies possession finally told - a cross from the right hand side found the feet of Nile Ranger who held off Aaron Roberts and poked the ball into the bottom right corner.

Ranger was injured during the act of scoring and as a precaution was substituted at half-time, to be replaced by goal scoring expert Edwards, signed on Monday from St Ives Town.

It didn't take long after the restart for the game to come alive with Wilson and Isiah Noel-Williams getting shots off towards goal in quick succession.

Dan Jezeph needed hits wits about him to deny Carter Lycett on 57 minutes, but with the Poppies kicking down the slope at the UK Electrical Stadium, they dominated.

On 65 minutes Kettering took the lead via the penalty spot.

Substitute Ethan Patterson blocked a fierce shot with his hand inside the area, and the resulting penalty was calmly slotted home by Edwards, much to the delight of the large travelling fanbase.

Price would go on to deny any further Kettering goals producing world-class save after save.

Devon Kelly-Evans, two Edwards efforts including a tap in from just yards out and Luca Miller were all denied by the shot-stopper.

A late flurry of attacks from Bromsgrove were thwarted in the final stages, Jezeph getting a crucial strong hand to a dangerous cross on 89 minutes.

The win means Kettering are up to second and just one point off the top of the table with two games in hand, with leaders Bedford Town suffering a surprise 2-0 defeat at Banbury United.

When asked if this type of performance was the mark of a championship winning side, boss Richard Lavery said: “It's nights like this when you come to Bromsgrove on a Tuesday and take three points, you look back at the end of the season thinking that."