Kettering Town aren't giving up on play-offs, says boss Culverhouse

Ian Culverhouse insists Kettering Town aren’t giving up on the Vanarama National League North play-offs.

But the Poppies manager knows if they are to reignite their challenge for a top-seven finish, things must improve quickly.

Kettering suffered a third straight defeat as they were thumped 4-0 at Chester on Saturday due to a performance Culverhouse ranked as the worst since he took charge of the club.

It resulted in the Poppies dropping to 13th place and they are now eight points adrift of York City, who currently hold the final play-off spot.

There is a full programme of action in the division tonight (Tuesday) with the Poppies playing their first home game for a month against Hereford at Latimer Park (7.45pm), which is swiftly followed by another home clash with fifth-placed Chorley at the weekend.

The Bulls are ninth and four points off the play-off pace and Culverhouse knows he and his players must try to find a way to bounce back.

“While we are mathematically capable of doing it (reaching the play-offs), we will give it a go,” the Poppies boss said.

“But on that performance on Saturday we won’t get anywhere close.

“It’s really important now that we regroup very, very quickly and come back stronger.

“We have got to impose our game on them (Hereford) very quickly.

“It’s going to be hard. We have got two home games with play-off contenders and if we want to be considered as one of those ourselves, we need to perform.”

The Poppies haven’t been helped by a number of suspensions and injuries leaving their squad threadbare.

They will have defender Connor Johnson, who signed a contract with the club yesterday, back from a ban but they will still be without Gary Stohrer and Connor Kennedy who are both suspended and injured loanee George Cooper.