Half-time 'rollicking' helped Poppies turn it around

The Poppies fell behind inside the first two minutes when Adam Murray gave Royston the lead before the visitors went on to dominate the early stages.

But, after their dressing down at the break, Kettering came out flying in the second period with Brett Solkhon bringing them level soon after the restart.

Royston were reduced to 10 men when Sam Corcoran was sent-off for a challenge on Michael Richens and the Poppies never looked back as further goals from Mathew Stevens, Aaron O’Connor and Lindon Meikle wrapped up another home success.

Kettering now have a firm grip on a play-off place in the Evo-Stik South League Premier.

And boss Law was delighted with the response from his players after their slow start last night.

“It was a very good win because we had questions asked of us and the response was there in the end,” the Kettering manager said.

“Fair play to Royston because, whether it was down to personnel or tactics, for the first 20 minutes they stifled us and had two or three good chances.

“We gifted them their goal inside the first five minutes and it doesn’t help when your home form is as it is and you are in a situation where you have given the opposition some to hang on to.

“There were some near misses and saves in the back end of the second half as we put pressure on them but we weren’t quite as organised and comfortable as we should have been.

“So we had to tweak the shape at half-time and there was a bit of a rollicking to try to get them going because Royston really looked like they wanted it more than us in the first half.

“We needed to fire our boys up and get them in the right frame of mind and, in the second half, they really delivered.

“The sending-off was a sending-off and I think that probably helped us but the response had already started by then and we were well in the game.

“In the end, it was a deserved win and it’s one we are delighted with.”

The Poppies are back on home soil on Saturday when they entertain Frome Town.