No harm in aiming high as Poppies gear up for huge matches

Kettering Town and their play-off rivals will get a good look at each other during a huge Easter weekend.
Mathew Stevens was just off target with this acrobatic effort during Kettering Town's 4-3 win over Dorchester Town on Tuesday night. Picture by Peter ShortMathew Stevens was just off target with this acrobatic effort during Kettering Town's 4-3 win over Dorchester Town on Tuesday night. Picture by Peter Short
Mathew Stevens was just off target with this acrobatic effort during Kettering Town's 4-3 win over Dorchester Town on Tuesday night. Picture by Peter Short

The Poppies currently sit in fourth place in the Evo-Stik South League Premier, two points behind Weymouth and six adrift of second-placed King’s Lynn Town with two games in hand on both of them.

Kettering entertain Weymouth at Latimer Park tomorrow (Saturday) and then head to King’s Lynn 48 hours later on Monday (3pm) during one of the club’s most important Easter double-headers for some time.

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All three clubs have all-but secured play-off places with the battle now being for home field advantage in the semi-finals, which goes to the teams finishing second and third in the final table.

And while Poppies boss Marcus Law, whose team are on the back of four wins in a row after a dramatic 4-3 success over Dorchester Town at Latimer Park on Tuesday night, expects there to be plenty of “sparring” during the next two games, he believes all three teams will be keeping an eye on what is happening above them as well.

Title favourites Hereford still lead the way and are a point clear of King’s Lynn from two games less while they are seven ahead of the Poppies, who go to Edgar Street on the penultimate weekend of the campaign.

Threatening the title remains a huge ask for Kettering but Law insists his team will aim high while there is still a mathematical chance.

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“I think all three of us will still be having a little glance towards the top,” Law said.

“And if Hereford are going to make a mistake then we will all want to try to take advantage while there is still a mathematical chance of catching them.

“I think we are the only one of the top teams who have got to play them. It’s going to be tough to catch them but while they are there to be shot at, you have to keep going.

“But the clubs in the play-off places are going to do all they can to try to make sure they have home advantage in the semi-finals and this weekend is obviously going to have a say in all of that.

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“We have the toughest fixtures of the lot because we have Weymouth and King’s Lynn and their other games are against teams in the lower half of the table.

“There is definitely going to be a bit of sparring and I am sure all of us will be looking for chinks in each other’s armour.

“We have the games in hand to make a difference if we can come through this weekend with a good return of points and that has to be the aim.”