Poppies and Brakes to play it again as Buxton await

Kyle Perry shows his delight after he scored his second and Kettering Town's third goal in the 3-3 draw at Leamington on Saturday. Picture by Peter Short

Kettering Town will bid to book themselves a place in the fourth qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup tonight (Tuesday).

The Poppies welcome Vanarama National League North rivals Leamington to Latimer Park after the two teams shared a thrilling 3-3 draw at the weekend.

The tie will be played to a finish this evening with extra-time and penalties if required with the winners going on to host Northern Premier League high-flyers Buxton in the next stage on Saturday, October 16.

The Poppies were backed by a healthy travelling band of supporters at the weekend and boss Cox is now hoping to hear them loud and clear on home soil tonight as he attempts to move his team a step closer to the first round proper.

The Kettering manager said: “One of the massive positives from Saturday was the number of supporters we took up there.

“It was reminiscent of the good old days when I was playing and our fans used to go and make an away ground feel like our home ground.

“If they can support us like that tonight then it will give us a hell of a chance.

“From our perspective, we have to approach the game with the same mindset but we have to be mindful that we need to be a bit more compact and resolute when we are defending.”

Cox, meanwhile, admitted Kyle Perry’s second-half display gave him “food for the thought” ahead of tonight’s clash.

Perry was on target with a late consolation in the 2-1 home league defeat to Spennymoor Town and then struck twice to put the Poppies 3-2 up at Leamington having been introduced as a second-half substitute.

Cox was also boosted by the returns of Rhys Sharpe and Gary Stohrer from injury, although both were unused substitutes at the weekend.

“Kyle and I had a chat before the game on Saturday, a really good chat,” the Poppies boss added.

“He is an experienced boy and knows this level of football like the back of his hand.

“He has done what he does, he has scored two goals and was unlucky not to have a hat-trick.

“It’s food for thought. We are getting one or two bodies back and we might look at a different approach when it comes to selection.”