Owner Akhtar hoping covers investment plays off as Poppies prepare for home return

We are now into March, and you have to go way back to December 20 last year for the most recent occasion the Poppies walked out at Latimer Park – a whopping 73 days ago.

But there are high hopes that Kettering will finally return home for the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central clash with Stratford Town - one of 10 league matches still to be staged by the Poppies between now and April 18.

A string of matches have been called off due to a waterlogged pitch since the turn of the year, with certain sections of the pitch proving troublesome.

With more heavy rain forecast last weekend, the Poppies made the decision to buy covers to protect the parts of the pitch most saturated, and they laid them down ahead of the wet weather arriving.

Akhtar is hoping that call will prove to be the right one, although he admits the idea didn't meet with universal approval.

Asked about what is being done to ensure the Stratford match gets the go-ahead, Akhtar said: "We are trying our best. We have spent a lot of money on covers and have put them down.

"We were advised not to put them down because of the way the water runs from the back pitches, but the sheer amount of water we have had we just decided to cover it.

"Now the sun is out we can take them off, and it's fingers crossed for Tuesday.

"The sheer volume of water this year has been incredible, so we are being challenged by new things we've not seen before.

"We are hoping Tuesday will go ahead, we hope we have done the right thing, and it will be a case of fingers crossed."

Kettering have 14 league matches left to play this season, with 10 of them at home, with six of their next seven fixtures at Latimer Park.

Tuesday's home date with Stratford is followed by the visit of Bromsgrove Sporting on Saturday and then a home date with Alvechurch next Tuesday (March 10).

A trip to AFC Sudbury on March 14, is followed by a swift Sudbury rematch at home on Tuesday, March 17, with home dates with Quorn (March 21) and Banbury United (March 24) to follow.

That is six home games in the space of just three weeks, and it is going to be a busy and testing time for the club's supporters as well as players.

But Akhtar is confident the Poppies fans will find a way to back their team.

"One thing we do know, and one thing is special about this football club, is that the fans will be there in their numbers," said the Poppies owner.

"If we can give them something to be proud of, if we can give them somehting to focus, for example the play-offs like last year, then why can't we fill the ground?

"But we are under no illusions that it's hard for everybody in a cost of living crisis, and we are trying to do some offers as a club.

"We are trying to do the right things by the fans, because without them the club is nothing.

"You only have to look at the table and see that if we win our games in hand we will be in a wonderful position, so we really need to make our 10 games at home a fortress for any team to come to."

Quotes courtesy of Peter Short