Lavery expecting race to ‘go to the wire’ as Poppies gear up for crunch title clashes
Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery is backing his team to stay in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central title mix right 'to the wire' as they approach the final three matches of the season.
The Poppies returned to second in the table with their 2-0 win at Bishop's Stortford on Saturday, taking full advantage of slips by AFC Telford United and Halesowen Town who both dropped points in draws.
Lavery’s men stayed three points adrift of leaders Bedford Town, with the Eagles scoring a last-minute winner to complete a 3-2 comeback win at Lowestoft Town, having been 2-0 down at half-time.
Bedford are in the box seat and will be favourites to claim the title and sole automatic promotion spot, but Lavery wants his team to rack up three wins out of three to ensure they will be on hand to take full advantage of any possible slip-ups.
Especially as the Poppies' goal difference is currently 10 better than that of the pacesetters.
The Poppies also need one more win to guarantee at least a place in the play-offs, and Lavery will be hoping that comes this Saturday when 11th-placed Royston Town are the visitors to Latimer Park.
"We now have three to go, we are still in the mix and I have always said that," Lavery told the Kettering Town YouTube channel.
"I always believe in my own ability as well as the players that are in that changing room.
"I still think it is going to go down to the wire, and hopefully we will stay in the mix to that wire."
Like the Poppies, Bedford have two home matches and one on the road in their final three, with their biggest test likely to be this Saturday when they host sixth-placed Stratford Town, who are still very much in the promotion picture.
After that they go to already-relegated Hitchin and then host mid-table Stourbridge on the final day.
The Poppies have the home clash with Royston on Saturday before they go to rock-bottom Biggleswade Town on Easter Monday and then end the season when 12th-placed Banbury United go to Latimer Park.
Elsewhere, Halesowen have the toughest looking run-in, taking on three sides inside the top nine in the final fixtures, and two in the top five as they entertain Telford in the only home game and also have to go to fifth-placed Stamford.
With all of the title and play-off contenders playing twice over the Easter weekend, with Telford the only one of the high-flyers playing on Good Friday instead of Saturday, this will be a pivotal weekend.
Lavery will be hoping it's a positive one for the Poppies…
The run-in remaining fixtures: Bedford Town (Stratford Town H; Hitchin A; Stourbridge H) 73pts; Poppies (Royston H; Biggleswade Town A; Banbury United H) 70pts; AFC Telford United (Lowestoft Town H; Halesowen A; Royston Town H) 69pts; Halesowen (Leiston A; AFC Telford United H; Stamford A) 69pts; Stamford (Banbury United H; Spalding United A; Halesowen H) 65pts; Stratford Town (Bedford Town A; Alvechurch H; St Ives Town A) 63pts