Kettering Town have to settle for play-offs as Bedford Town secure title glory

Kettering Town suffered final day agony on Saturday and will have to settle for a place in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central play-offs.

The Poppies went into the last game of the regular season still dreaming of claiming title success, having shrugged off a run of mixed form to secure three straight wins.

Jamar Loza's strike hits the back of the net for the Poppies against Banbury United (Picture: Peter Short)

placeholder image — Jamar Loza's strike hits the back of the net for the Poppies against Banbury United (Picture: Peter Short)

To win the title Kettering needed to beat Banbury United at Latimer Park and hope Bedford Town lost their home clash with Stourbridge.

But things didn't work out for Richard Lavery's side, who conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 with the mid-table Puritans, while the Eagles eased to a 2-0 success to secure the championship and go up automatically.

Jamar Loza fires in a shot on goal during Kettering Town's 2-2 draw with Banbury United (Picture: Peter Short)

That means Kettering now have to win two more matches if they are to achieve their dream of promotion back to Vanarama National League North.

The point secured against Banbury did guarantee the runners-up spot for the Poppies, meaning they can look forward to a home semi-final, and if they can win that then they will also be at home in the final.

Lavery's side will entertain Harborough Town in Wednesday's semi (ko 7.45pm), with the Bees securing a top five finish with a 5-1 final day hammering of AFC Sudbury.

Mitch Austin's side have been the form team since the turn of the year, rising from relegation danger to being in with a serious chance of promotion thanks to a run of 14 wins and five draws in their 21 matches.

Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery (Picture: Peter Short)

The last time the two sides met, Harborough were 2-1 home winners on New Year's Day, with the Latimer Park clash between the teams back on August 26 ending in a 1-1 draw.

The other other play-off clash will see Halesowen Town take on AFC Telford United.

Against Banbury, the Poppies fell behind early on as Dan Jarvis made it 1-0 to Banbury on 16 minutes, but Lavery's men were level five minutes later through Jamar Loza.

Loza then struck again 10 minutes before the break to fire the Poppies ahead, and they looked to be heading for a fourth straight win, only for the Puritans to snatch an 82nd-minute equaliser through Tai Fleming.

But that strike was pretty immaterial anyway, with Bedford easing to victory at the New Eyrie to get their title party started.