‘Hard work’ has been the key in Poppies’ gradual improvement

The Poppies are currently enjoying their best spell of the Vanarama National League North season so far with their last nine games delivering 13 points as they bid to get themselves to safety having been in the lower reaches of the table for the majority of the campaign.

Six of those points have come in the last two matches with a dramatic 3-2 home success over Boston United being followed by, perhaps, Kettering’s best win of the season so far as second-half goals from Sam Bennett, Ethan Hill and Frankie Maguire sealed a 3-0 victory at Banbury United last weekend.

Those back-to-back wins have lifted Kettering four points clear of the relegation zone ahead of another crucial clash with fellow strugglers Buxton at Latimer Park on Saturday.

“We think we have been slowly improving all season,” Glover said.

“We feel we have looked like we are getting stronger and we are going to need more performances like that (at Banbury).

“Banbury are a fantastic side. The manager, his coaching staff and players have had a fantastic season with cup runs in there.

“So it was a great win for us but we have to keep our focus and understand that the results are down to hard work.

“If we keep working hard then we know we can give people a game.”

The next game for the Poppies is at Latimer Park on Saturday when they take on Buxton, another side bidding to pull themselves away from the relegation zone.

“I think they have had a couple of bids in for people recently so they are doing all they can to try to make sure they stay in the league,” Glover added.

“We will show them all due respect and we will do our homework on them.

“But we want to look after ourselves and take care of our business, first and foremost.”

Glover, meanwhile, was left disappointed as his team missed out on a chance to face Peterborough Sports in the NFA Hillier Senior Cup final.

The Poppies were held to a goalless draw by United Counties League side Cogenhoe United on Tuesday night but were then beaten 4-1 in the resulting penalty shoot-out.

Glover did make changes on Tuesday night with both Ben Sault and Harry Reilly returning from long-term injuries to feature in the game at Cogenhoe.

But he told Poppies TV: “I am disappointed to lose a semi-final.

“You can say we are trying to get people fit and we have a big catalogue of games but Cogenhoe, I think, deserved it.

“We have hit the post in the second half and their goalkeeper has pulled off one great save but I think they, overall, deserved it.

“We started playing in a way that we don’t play and I was disappointed with that.

“We have lost a semi-final but I hope we haven’t picked up any injuries. We wanted to win and we had a strong side out so I am disappointed to lose.”