Off-colour Kettering Town pay the penalty as Barwell secure victory with late spot-kick

No TV cameras or national media outlets were in attendance at Kirby Road.

No super high-tech electronic displays surrounded the pitch, and there wasn't a clamber for matchday programmes as souvenirs as there weren't any being sold!

Richard Lavery's side need to wake up from their FA Cup dream as soon as possible, because their performance in Leicestershire was not befitting of the 'champions elect' tag that they have been justifiably given by many.

The artificial surface should have suited the talented side along with the bonus of having not played over the weekend, whilst their hosts huffed and puffed at a muddy Spalding United just 48 hours prior to kick off.

But instead it was Barwell who rolled up their sleeves and showed incredible determination to win the 50/50 tackles and frustrate Kettering at every turn.

A frenetic start to the match saw a number of early chances.

Bruno Andrade met a corner from the right with power to force a fine save from Will Highland on nine minutes whilst at the other end, former Poppy Lewis Hill was perfectly placed to score just yards out but his point-blank shot was smothered by Jason Alexander.

Leroy Lita also saw an effort scrambled off the line on 14 minutes.

Connor Johnson should have given Kettering the lead on 22 minutes in a breakaway move but could only smash the crossbar from his shot inside the area.

Jonny Edwards also wasted a glorious opportunity five minutes later after bringing the ball down on the edge of the area but opted to pass across the face of goal inside of pulling the trigger.

From then, the half became scrappy with no further chances but frustrations did begin to show, and a flare up first involving Andrade, before all 22 players merged together in unnecessary scenes resulted in a number of yellow cards being shown.

Barwell left the changing room sensing Kettering weren't quite at the races and punished their visitors shortly after the restart.

Olly Brown-Hill just yards in from the left touchline decided to unleash an audacious shot 30 yards out. The low effort slithered under the despairing Alexander and into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Shortly after the shot-stopper was replaced by the not entirely fit Dan Jezeph due to illness. Later it was confirmed Alexander had been ill during the half-time break.

Faced with chasing the game, Kettering continued to look flustered and struggled to link midfield with attack.

Brad Hickey almost gave Jezeph an early test on 54 minutes but dragged his shot just wide of the left upright.

But eventually Kettering put together a move which eventually resulted in Andrade being upended in the area on 57 minutes - Edwards calmly slotted home the spot kick.

A second penalty shout for a blatant handball inside the area on 73 minutes only resulted in a free kick, millimeters from the area which was easily cleared by Barwell.

Edwards wasted two opportunities to give Kettering the lead - first Kai Fifield playing him through on 79 minutes but the shot went wide.

Three minutes later, substitute Nile Ranger delivered the pass to Edwards but again the striker could only put the ball the wrong side of the post.

With the game reaching the final stages, Kettering continued to search for the elusive winner when perhaps game management might have been the better option.

In the second of eight minutes of stoppage time, the Poppies were stretched again by a long ball on the left and Brown-Hill surged into the area before being brought down.

Lita was just the man to break Poppies hearts, using all of his experience to put his spot kick past Jezeph despite the keeper diving the right way.

The final action of the evening was just before the final whistle with Lewis White being felled by a Barwell elbow, leaving the defender in real trouble and needing hospital attention soon after the game had ended.

Plenty to ponder for manager Lavery who admitted in his post-match interview that some of the players afforded the opportunity to start the match hadn't taken their chance.

He will be delighted that key midfielder Devon Kelly-Evans returns for Saturday's match at home to Bishop Stortford after serving his three-match ban.

For the second match in a row, Queen’s 'Another One Bites the Dust' blasted out from the opposition changing room - something which Lavery described as a "compliment".

However, you can be certain it will be played twice as loud should Kettering get a positive result in the return fixture in February!

Despite Monday’s defeat, the Poppies stay top of the Premier Central table, three points clear of second-placed Halesowen.