Poppies boss Lavery 'fuming' as Kettering 'deserve' their defeat at Barwell

The Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central leaders 'weren't at the races' as they were undone by a stoppage time penalty from veteran fromer Bristol City, Reading and Middlesbrough striker Leroy Lita.

The home side had taken the lead early in the second half through Oliver Brown-Hill, only for Jonny Edwards to cancel that out with a penalty on the hour.

And although the Poppies did have chances to claim all three points, they didn't take them and were sucker-punched at the death, with Lavery accepting they were second best on the night.

It was Kettering's first league defeat in 11 mat ches since they went down 1-0 at Royston Town on September 7, and Lavery admitted: "I am fuming, and we didn't deserve to win the game. There are no excuses.

"Did we deserve to take a point? Probably not, so I will take that on the chin. We deserved to lose and we have lost.

"Barwell battled well, and battled better than us. We haven't rolled our sleeves up and dug deep.

"We thought it was going to be easy because we are on such a good run, but it was never going to be easy.

"I know what Barwell are like here, they beat Telford here earlier in the season, so they are not going to roll over and die. They deserved the win.

"We weren't at the races and that is the unbeaten run that has come to an end."

And he added: "We didn't have a hatful of chances throughout the game, although I thought Jonny could have scored a couple, but it just wasn't our night.

"That does happen, but it is the manner of how we lost that game that hurts. I am not saying Barwell were a great side, but they just dug deep better than we did."

"The midfield is the heart of the team, and we just didn't turn up.

"I am not going to name names, because the players have been great for me up to now, and it was a whole collective effort, it just wasn't there."

The Poppies remain three points clear of second-placed Halesowen Town at the top of the table.

On Saturday they are back at Latimer Park when they host Bishop's Stortford (ko 3pm).#

Quotes courtesy of Peter Short