McDonald demands more from Poppies as they face crunch clash with Halesowen
Liam McDonald has warned his Kettering Town players they have to up their game if they are to keep their play-off fate in their own hands when they entertain rivals Halesowen Town on Saturday (ko 3pm).
It has been a dramatic week of late goals for the Poppies, with Blaine Rowe scoring in stoppage time to snatch a 2-1 win over Worcester City on Saturday and then Kai Williams netting a late, late equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw against Redditch United on Tuesday.
Williams' goal came after Redditch had themselves taken a stoppage time lead, and was a huge moment for Kettering, as it ensured they will still be in the play-off places going into the final two matches of the season.
Eddie Panter had earlier missed a penalty in first-half stoppage time.
The Poppies host play-off rivals Halesowen at Latimer Park on Saturday, and they will go into that game with a two-point advantage over those just outside the top five.
A win, and other results going their way, could see the Poppies secure a play-off place at the weekend, but a loss, and they could find themselves outside the top five ahead of a final day trip to Bury Town.
"Scoring the late goal was probably the only positive," McDonald told Kettering Town's YouTube channel after the draw with Redditch, who would have leapfrogged Poppies with a win.
"We missed a penalty again, and the two pens we have missed recently have hurt us, because we would have had more points on the board and would have probably secured a play-off place by now.
"We were good in the first half, we penned them in without controlling the game, but we needed to take a chance when we had it in good areas.
"We were good up until the final third, but individually we weren't great with our decision making.
"On the counter-attack we made bad decisions, and that was unlike us.
"The second half was more even and scrappy, with neither side seemingly really sure what to do.
"Redditch have then got the goal, but at no point was I worried.
"I still felt there were one or two chances left in the game, and we can score at any time, and we have and we have deserved that as well.
"I don't think Redditch deserved to win the game, I think a draw is a fair result, and we are just disappointed with how we played as a whole.
"The lads have been brilliant, they have given us hope, but a performance like on Saturday (against Halesowen) won't be good enough.
"We need to make sure we are better and I have let them know that."