Poppies blow big chance to take control of title race as St Ives clinch late victory

Four opportunities the Poppies have had to regain top spot in the league, and not one of them has been taken.

With 11 minutes to go, Kettering were top of pops and everything looked rosy as they led St Ives 2-1 despite another below par performance - at this stage it's results that matter.

But two late goals from the visitors turned the mood sour.

The disappointment, borderline anger from the large majority of fans at a sunbathed Latimer Park was visceral - so thick even your best silverware couldn't cut through it.

Kettering could still be league champions come the end of the season, with their fate very much in their own hands.

But the manner of defeat, alongside the current style of play, has sent alarm bells ringing and talk of not even making the play-offs has begun, with the league bunching together and no less than eight teams having a serious chance of securing promotion.

Manager Richard Lavery could only name four substitutes and chose not to start with either Nile Ranger or Johnny Edwards, with the latter still not 100 per cent recovered.

Ranger did not feature for the entire match.

Very little action took place in the first half, with both sides feeling their way into the game.

The Poppies dominated possession, as they have done recently, but were bereft of attacking intent, with only one effort on target in the first half.

St Ives provided stubborn opposition and were brilliantly marshalled by captain and former Diamonds defender Alex Collard, whilst Will Glennon and striker Amir Hadi did their best to drag their side up the field.

Hadi had the first real attack of the game, sending a rifled shot just wide of the upright on eight minutes.

Little else happened up to the opening goal which came via the penalty spot.

Glennon was brought down inside the area on 25 minutes and dusted himself off to send Dan Jezeph the wrong way.

Kettering almost responded immediately when West York found the path of Sam McLintock, but he could only send his effort over the bar - potentially undone by the infamous Burton bobble.

St Ives then could have added a second on the half-hour mark but Josh Allen's low pass across goal couldn't be turned in.

Andi Thanoj's tame free kick just on the edge of the area on 39 minutes at least registered Kettering's first effort on target, but keeper Daniel Wilks had no trouble in collecting the ball.

Similarly to last Tuesday evening's poor first-half showing against Alvechurch, a rocket was fired in the changing room and it once again got the desired effect.

Just four minutes after the restart, Isiah Noel-Williams did what he's done all season and drove forward at the opposition defence.

His cross from the left found Kai Fifield inside the area who guided the ball home into the roof of the net from eight yards out.

Kyle Storer and Aaron Powell both sent in dangerous deliveries soon after, but it was another Noel-Williams run that led to Kettering's second goal.

He was brought down illegally by Glennon right on the white line of the penalty area.

Glennon and the whole St Ives team pushed sportsmanship to the edge by using any delaying tactics available, but it didn't stop Noel-Williams perfectly placing his spot kick beyond the despairing dive of Wilks.

Now in the box seat and Latimer Park giving out a collective sigh of relief, Kettering's experienced players just needed to see out the match.

But they couldn’t do it.

A long throw on 81 minutes was headed out of the area, but Johnson Gyamfi was able to pick up the ball in acres of space and allowed the time to ping a perfect cross towards the head of Glennon who glided past a statuesque defence before nodding home at the near post.

Connor Johnson almost restored the lead on 86 minutes when a brilliant corner was fizzed in by Kyle Storer, but the Poppies skipper somehow toe-poked the ball the wrong side of the post from just yards out.

Still shellshocked from the equaliser, Kettering pressed the self-destruct button.

A corner from the right was floated to the back post before pinballing inside the area to give George Munday two bites of the cherry to blast the ball into the net from close range.

Storer almost salvaged a point right at the death - his free-kick from 20 yards out crashed off the woodwork with Wilks well beaten.

Queen’s ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ was blasting out from the away changing room well before the first commiseration pint could be poured in the clubhouse.

St Ives had used plenty of dark arts throughout the 90 minutes, and Glennon will not be on many Poppies’ fans Christmas card lists.

But they were able to play with freedom and edged Kettering in all departments and in truth deserved the opportunity to rub extra salt into the wounds after the final whistle.

Kettering of late have become fragmented, predictable, even fearful.

The manner of Saturday's defeat must be the final piece of inspiration and a catalyst for change that both players and management need, before a memorable and historic season quickly fizzles out.

Kettering remain second in the table, two points adrift of Bedford Town, with now with just one game in hand.