McDonald praise for Panter as Poppies sink St Ives to secure third straight success

The win keeps alive the Poppies' outside hopes of a play-off challenge in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central, as they sit 11th in the table, six places and seven points adrift of fifth-placed Redditch United.

Panter was the star man for the Poppies in Cambridgeshire.

The striker fired the into the lead on the half-hour when he slammed home a penalty after Alfie Lewis had been upended in the box.

St Ives hit back to level four minutes later throught Tyrone Baker, and that was how it stayed until the 57th minute when Panter scored his second, expertly lobbing the goalkeeper from the edge of the box after being put through on goal.

Then, 12 minutes from time, Panter was on hand to slot home from close range and finish off an excellent team move down the right and seal the points for a Kettering side that has now not played on home soil for two months.

"That's four away games in a row now and it has been difficult," McDonald told Kettering Town's YouTube channel.

"In the last three games the boys have been tremendous and on Saturday at half-time I said to the boys that we needed to up the ante.

"I felt in the first half we were a little bit passive at times, and we went out in the second half and I thought we were brilliant.

"We wanted the three points, and on another day I think we could have had maybe one or two more goals.

"But it was a really good performance and I was really pleased, we played well, we worked hard and I think it was a good afternoon's work."

And on the efforts of Panter, who was signed from Bedford Town at the end of November, McDonald was absolutely delighted.

"What we have got is an exceptional player in Eddie Panter," said McDonald. "He now has eight goals and he will hit double figures for us, I am sure, and then some.

"We took him off because we need to wrap him up in cotton wool, as he is terrorising teams at the minute and he is a joy to watch."

Kettering could only name four substitutes at St Ives following last week’s departures of Will Glennon and Ryan Inman.

Glennon made the move to National League North strugglers Leamington on Friday, while Inman, who only joined the club a month ago, has taken up an opportinity to play in Australia.

The Poppies now have a free week before they are due to entertain another in-form side in Banbury United at Latimer Park on Saturday.

If the weather plays ball and the match goes ahead, it will be Kettering's first at home since they beat Royston Town 3-0 way back on December 20.

While the Poppies have won three in a row, Banbury will go into the game having won five on the spin, a run that has seen them rise to ninth, two places and three points above Kettering.

Kelvin Langmead’s Puritans were 1-0 home winners over Bury Town on Saturday.