Kettering Town dig in to claim hard-earned point at high-flying Halesowen

It didn't all go the Poppies way who gifted yet another soft penalty - their ninth of the season.

Eyes will also be on the fitness of captain George Forsyth who limped off during the first half whilst hosts Halesowen will also be kicking themselves having had ample chances to win late on but left their shooting boots in the changing room.

An open game from the off created plenty of early goalmouth action with the hosts striking first after 10 minutes.

Charlie Wragg and Fin Holmes linked up well before finally sending the ball towards Kyle Finn who needed his goal bound effort blocked by a red shirt.

Three minutes later Kettering hit back through James Clifton dink who's audacious attempted lob needed to be headed away from danger. The resulting corner also found Clifton in the box, but his vicious effort was deflected wide by a team mate!

Wragg and Ryan Wollacott had efforts in quick succession after 17 minutes whilst Kettering's next effort came on the half hour mark but Wes York was unable to apply a final touch from Andi Thanoj's cross.

Before Kettering took the lead on 42 minutes, Jason Alexander needed to be at his best to keep out Jason Cowley's curling effort from range.

But arguably against play the visitors did open the scoring.

After a number of corners in the half, Kettering finally got one right - Ismael Fatadjo finding Thanoj, who headed goalwards from the back post and his effort was only half cleared allowing Levi Andoh to scramble the ball in - his second goal in two games.

After a thunderous first half neither side could quite find the same tempo in the second.

Alexander again was called into action. A Kyle Finn delivery found Ben Cassidy, who put a high ball across the goal towards Wollacott and his headed was brilliantly saved off the line by the Poppies keeper.

But again as Kettering look like they had taken control of a game they shot themselves in the foot.

Finn was bought down inside the area on 67 minutes and Cowley kept up his 100 per cent penalty record for the season in tact by but the ball into the bottom left corner.

After equalising it was very much all Halesowen who had enough chances to steal the points.

Ty Barnett, Fin Holmes and Finn all wasted chances putting the ball either wide of the post of over the bar.

Reece Mitchell also headed over with minutes remaining with Kettering clearly now hanging on.

But after seeing a late goal scramble cleared, the Poppies hung on and showed the fan base that there is plenty of fight still within the squad.

The match was also a celebration of Yeltz president Colin Brookes, who fell ill at a match last week before passing away.

He was chairman of Halesowen Town when Kettering manager Liam McDonald played for the club and was very close with him.

McDonald paid his respects to the former chairman in his post match comments in what he described as an emotional day.