Lavery wants Poppies to produce complete performance as they head to St Ives

Kettering Town were thrashed 6-0 at St Ives Town on Boxing Day (Picture: Peter Short)Kettering Town were thrashed 6-0 at St Ives Town on Boxing Day (Picture: Peter Short)
Kettering Town were thrashed 6-0 at St Ives Town on Boxing Day (Picture: Peter Short)
Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery believes the artificial surface at St Ives will suit his players when they travel to Cambridgeshire for Monday night's Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central clash (ko 7.45pm).

The venue proved to be something of a nightmare last season, with the Poppies suffering a 6-0 Boxing Day pasting in what was the low point of a very difficult season.

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But Lavery doesn't envisage a repeat performance as he hopes the Poppies can quickly respond to Saturday's disappointing 1-0 defeat at Royston Town.

"We train on 4G so we do get the ball down and play, you can see that, and it will probably suit us on Monday," said the Kettering boss.

Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery (Picture: Peter Short)Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery (Picture: Peter Short)
Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery (Picture: Peter Short)

"It is a quick turnaround playing Saturday-Monday, but it is the same for them so no excuses. Hopefully we can take three points."

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Lavery wasn't in charge for the hammering at St Ives last season, and he is concentrating on his own team upping their performance levels, and is demanding they produce a 90-minute performance.

"I don't really look at the other team, I worry more about my team, and if we are at it then we will give anybody a game," said Lavery.

"On Saturday we weren't at it in the second half and if we turn up in both halves, which I don't think we have done all season.

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"We have turned up in one half and not the other, and it is a bit of a worry of mine at the moment.

"I don't know why that's happening, and it's definitely not a fitness thing because the lads are fit, but it is something I will have to take a look at."

Lavery spring something of a surprise on Saturday when he left joint top-scorer Dan Jarvis on the bench at Royston, and he said it was a 'horses for courses' decision.

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"Dan has done really well, and he scored two at Hitchin," said the Poppies boss.

"Against Harborough I don't think we played well as a team in the second half, so I needed to change things up.

"Dan's a great player, a great lad, and yes he is the joing leading scorer, I get that. But sometimes it is horses for courses."

Quotes courtesy of Peter Short

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