Poppies outclassed again at high-flying Telford as relegation fears intensify

The Poppies conceded two goals in each half to lose 4-0, and the gap between them and the relegation zone is now just four points.

A trip to the New Bucks Head Stadium would usually bring the Poppies faithful out in force - superb surroundings against a team that have provided a genuine rivalry over the last five decades.

But so strong is the apathy and expectation of defeat amongst the supporters, that the afternoon peaked just after 2pm upon the discovery of Chicken-Balti pies being served in the snack bar!

An already uphill task was made much harder prior to kick-off.

The news of Kane Richardson opting to return to Basford United depleted the forward options, and Tyrone Lewthwaite was then ruled out of the match with a recurring back injury to leave Jim Le Masurier with very little in terms of strikers to choose from.

The Poppies needed to be ferocious in defence and smart whilst in possession.

But in their manager's words, Kettering ‘rolled over’ and had their ‘bellies tickled’.

Credit must be given to a very good Telford side who could have easily been sucked into an ugly match.

Instead they are in great shape to make an instant return to the National League North via the playoffs - masterminded by former Brackley Town manager Kevin Wilkin.

Kettering largely matched their hosts for the opening 20 minutes with the only panic an innocuous looking cross from the left that needed tipping over the bar by Daniel Jezeph on nine minutes and Nathan Fox's free kick on the edge of the area that went just a few inches over on 17 minutes.

But with no outlet, Kettering were constantly penned in their own half and the pressure finally told on half an hour when a Ricardo Dinanga cross wasn't cleared by Lethanial Rowe-Turner and Montel Gibson bustled his way through to nod over the rooted Jezeph.

The scoreline was doubled 11 minutes later when Jordan Piggott's surging run was ended abruptly by Jezeph, bringing down his man deep inside the area.

Kyle Storer took on the spot-kick duties, sending Jezeph the wrong way and effectively ending the match as a contest.

The Poppies had nothing to lose in the second half but were comfortably kept at bay by Telford.

Harry Reilly did show some heart on 51 minutes with a run into the area and his cut back pass stung the hands of Brandon Hall.

Telford rattled the woodwork twice in quick succession with the dangerous Dinanga gliding past two red shirts on 56 minutes before seeing his shot turned onto the post by Jezeph.

Three minutes later Ellis Brown shot inside the area into the body of Jezeph before sending a rebound shot on-off the crossbar.

Dinanga finally got the goal he deserved on 69 minutes, punishing Kettering on the counter-attack.

Jack Degruchy was pick-pocketed in the center circle by the center-forward, who then ran unopposed into the Kettering box before rounding Jezeph and placing the ball into the net.

It took 78 minutes for Kettering to produce their first shot to worry Hall in the Telford goal - Bruno Andrade who had been feeding on scraps all game received the ball from Reilly but his low shot could only find the side netting.

A fourth goal didn't flatter the hosts and it was given to them on a plate by a side already thinking of the bus ride home.

Gibson was all alone in the area to receive a cross from the right and head past Jezeph with seven minutes remaining.

Substitute Kelvin Langmead was introduced on 80 minutes and was arguably Kettering's best player of the match - the 38-year-old breaking the Telford defensive line twice and nearly ruined Hall's clean sheet on 88 minutes receiving the ball down the middle but sent his shot just wide.

Kettering remain in 18th, four points from safety.

Recruitment will be crucial in the coming fortnight before the two crunch matches against AFC Sudbury for what is now surely a straight shoot-out between the two sides to remain in the league.