Poppies and Steelmen set to clash in pre-season

Kettering Town and Corby Town are set to clash this summer as part of their pre-season preparations.

The Poppies and the Steelmen will be involved in the Newlands Shield competition along with Northamptonshire rivals Brackley Town during July and August.

The mini tournament will see the three teams play each other twice in a round robin format with the team finishing on top securing the Newlands Shield and some prize money.

The opening fixture will be on Tuesday, July 13 when Brackley entertain Corby at St James Park and, a week later on July 20, Kevin Wilkin’s team will travel to Latimer Park to take on the Poppies.

The first match between Corby and Kettering will be on Saturday, July 24 at Steel Park.

The Poppies will head to Brackley a week later on July 31 with the Steelmen hosting the Saints on Wednesday, August 4.

The final match of the competition will see the Poppies taking on the Steelmen at Latimer Park on Saturday, August 7.

Weekend matches in the Newlands Shield will kick-off at 3pm with midweek games starting at 7.45pm.

Kettering and Brackley will be preparing for another Vanarama National League North campaign, which is due to start on Saturday, August 14.

Corby are facing another season at Step 4 having been top of the early standings in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central last season when the Covid-19 pandemic forced another early finish to the campaign.

Kettering, meanwhile, have also announced two other pre-season friendlies.

They will head to Cogenhoe United on Tuesday, July 13 and then they will make the trip to Jersey to take on Jersey Bulls at the Springfield Stadium in St Helier on Saturday, July 17.