Kettering Town boss Lavery believes thrilling title race is going down to the wire

The Poppies surrendered top spot last weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw by AFC Telford United at Latimer Park, with the home side salvaging a point with a stoppage time equaliser from supersub Kai Fifield.

Wins for Halesowen Town and Bedford Town ensured they leapfrogged Kettering, who are now third, but with six matches of the season remaining they are just one point off the top, and the only automatic promotion spot.

Indeed, just six points separate Halesowen at the helm and Stamford, who are outside the play-off places in seventh, and the title and automatic promotion really is up for grabs for any of those teams as they enter the home straight.

The Poppies face what on paper is the toughest game of their run-in this Saturday when they go to Stamford, and after that they don't play any other team in the top half of the table as it stands.

After this weekend they have home games against Hitchin Town (21st), Royston Town (12th) and, on the final day of the season, Banbury United (13th).

Their two remaining away games will see them travel to Bishop’s Stortford (15th) and rock-bottom Biggleswade Town.

So Lavery was still in a positive mood after the stalemate with title rivals Telford, and said: "It is all to play for, there are six more games and there are going to be a lot of twists and turns.

"I think it will still go down to the last two games.

"I am not happy with a point from Saturday, because of the way we played in the first half, but in the greater scheme of things I am happy with a draw because we were losing so late on.

"I have looked at the run-in, but everybody can beat everybody in this league.

"It has been a long season, from pre-season to now, and everybody is in the same boat."

Elsewhere on Saturday, Halesowen face a tough trip to the league’s form team Harborough Town, who are now fifth, Bedford go to eighth-placed Leiston and AFC Telford host 17th-placed Barwell.

Looking back at the draw with Telford, Lavery added: "It was a big game and we had to take something from it.

"When I saw the first half I thought there was three points there for us all day, but it didn't quite happen.

"I would have taken a point in the 90th minute, and thankfully Kai has come on and scored the equaliser."