On-song Poppies hit six of the best to close in on promotion play-offs
Kettering Town were in emphatic form as they thrashed lowly visitors AFC Sudbury to run out 6-0 winners in the Pitching-In Southern Premier Central on Tuesday night.
From the first minute the Poppies were in total control at Latimer Park, but showed great patience in not forcing the issue, as chances came and went in the early stages.
Sudbury, who had lost their manager Tom Austin just 48 hours prior, were there for the taking as the game was exclusively played in their half of the field.
Only goalkeeper Liam Coyne will come away with any praise, after making two close range stops to deny Eddie Panter and Blaine Rowe.
But in the 30th minute, a cross delivered from the right by Lewis Coyle gave Rowe a second opportunity to score, and he planted his header into the bottom corner.
Five minutes later the ex-Bedford Town connection linked up as Coyle's corner kick was met with a bullet header by new loan signing Carl Mensah, who enjoyed ingratiating himself with the home crowd.
If the first half was one-sided, the second half was a masterclass from Kettering.
On 53 minutes, Kai Williams shot across the face of goal just inside the area to beat the Sudbury keeper and make the scoreline 3-0.
Panter, who had been his usual industrious self up front finally got his goal on 66 minutes via the penalty spot.
Williams was upended inside the box and referee Joseph Karram had the easiest penalty decision he will make all season - with Panter on hand to send Coyne the wrong way.
In the words of John Motson it got better and better when substitute Nathan Jeche gabbed Kettering's fifth by firing home low into the bottom right corner on 72 minutes.
The rout was then completed seven minutes later when Panter received the ball on the left of the area, took a touch and unleashed towards goal - with his effort taking a touch from a yellow shirt.
This was the first time since December 2017 that Kettering had scored six goals in a match – against Dunstable Town – and the win sees the Poppies rise to ninth in the table and to within three points of the play-offs, with at least one game in hand on all of the teams above them.
Kettering host fourth-placed Quorn on Saturday (ko 3pm).
They currently trail the Leicestershire side by six points, and also have two games in hand on them.