Poppies' slow start to 2025 continues as Redditch secure comeback win
Kettering Town's poor start to 2025 continued as hosts Redditch came from behind to inflict a 3-2 defeat last weekend.
The result saw the Poppies knocked off the top of the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central.
Staff and fans have become used to being chased in the league this season - Kettering have been top of the tree since October 19 - but a recent spate of shocking defensive errors and a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal has left some supporters reaching for the big red panic button.
Since Latimer Park took centre stage in the FA Cup second round defeat to Doncaster Rovers, Richard Lavery's side have taken only 11 points from a possible 24, with the three most recent defeats all on artificial surfaces, which should suit this skillful squad of players.
Saturday's reverse at the Valley Stadium could have been a comfortable victory for Kettering had it not been for three critical errors which were all punished, and a strong performance from home goalkeeper Oliver Taylor.
Johnny Edwards was denied as early as the eighth minute, seeing his header tipped over the bar.
Devon Kelly-Evans will have nightmares about the next effort - played in from the right by Ben Hart, Kelly-Evans ballooned his shot over the bar from near the penalty spot on 15 minutes.
Minutes later, Isiah Noel-Williams reached the byline and sent a cross towards Edwards, who could not find the merest of touches needed to finish and the ball rolled in to the grateful hands of Taylor.
Kettering were well in full control by the time Callum Powell forced another fine save from Taylor on the half-hour mark and shot wide on 37 minutes, with the hosts still not testing the Kettering goal.
Dan Jezeph was finally called into action on 41 minutes when Johnny Johnston was given too much space to wriggle through into the box, but a dive to the right from Jezeph kept the low strike out.
Tyree Wilson was then denied a minute later inside the area again, the ball tipped over the bar as both keepers were now trading acrobatics.
It took a mistake to break the deadlock right on the stroke of half-time. Powell dawdled with the ball on the halfway line and the surrounding red shirts pick-pocketed him. Johnston surged up the pitch with plenty to do before cutting inside and placing the ball into the far corner of the goal.
After wasting a number of chances in the first half, Kettering made amends immediately at the restart, Tyree Wilson setting Kelly-Evans up to strike inside the area - his low shot squirming past Oliver on 48 minutes.
Sixty seconds later, the visitors were leading - Powell producing the cross from the left which found the feet of Noel-Williams to tap home from eight yards out.
Comeback now complete, Kettering just needed to do the basics right. However, that plan fell apart within four minutes.
A hopeful punt into the area from the right should have easily been claimed by Jezeph, but instead the gloveman spilt the ball into the path of Johnston who was able to loft the ball over a sea of bodies and into the net.
Powell and Wilson both had opportunities to retake the lead for Kettering but it was Redditch who would take the spoils.
A corner from the right on 80 minutes found the head of Kyle Rowley at the back post, and he was able to nod home unchallenged by a stationary Poppies defence.
The introduction of Nile Ranger and Terell Pennant sparked a late onslaught, with both strikers denied by Taylor at close range, whilst another low Noel-Williams shot was also kept out by the stopper deep into the eight minutes of injury time.
Boss Lavery admitted at full-time that Kettering's away form is now a concern, having only picked up two points in their past five matches on the road.
"At home we're good,” Lavery said. “Our away form isn't great, which is a worry of mine.
"I can't quite put my finger on it because if I could, I wouldn't be standing here now - I'd probably be managing higher, but I'll sort it.
"The changing room is good, I'm good. I've said my piece without going mad. They know I'm not happy, they're not happy.
"People are saying we're getting found out but we’re not getting found out. We're just not playing as well as we did at the start of the season.
"So let's get to Latimer Park, back on a ‘doghole’ of a pitch and get some results."
Bromsgrove Sporting are the visitors to Latimer Park at the weekend, with pressure firmly on the Poppies, who need to stop the rot.