Relief and delight for Leese as Kettering Town leave it late to beat Berko

Rhys Sharpe is mobbed after his late winner for Kettering Town at Berkhamsted on Saturday (Picture: Peter Short)

It looked very much as if it was going to be an afternoon of total frustration for the Poppies, who had thrown away a 2-0 half-time lead to be pegged back at 2-2 going into stoppage time.

But with the clock running down, Sharpe's free-kick won it for Leese's team as they made it back-to-back wins on the road following Tuesday night's 2-0 success at Leiston.

It is the first time since 2018 the Poppies have managed to win two games in succession on the road, and Leese was delighted - in the end!

Andy Leese was relieved to see his team claim a win at Berkhamsted (Picture: Peter Short)

"We made a habit of scoring late goals earlier in the season, and I will take that one off the back of a difficult second half for us," said the Kettering boss.

"At half-time I warned the players what would happen and they didn't really heed it, and fair play to Berkhamsted they changed things round and got after us.

"But we have then stuck at it, and we have found a way to win and I am delighted.

"If we hadn't done that it would have been two points dropped and I would have been bitterly disappointed, and I was on the bench watching us lose that 2-0 lead."

The win lifted the Poppies above Leiston up to 17th in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central, and they will go into Tuesday night's home date with mid-table AFC Telford United four points above the drop zone.

One player Leese will be hoping will feature is experienced front man Leon Clarke.

The much-travelled former Coventry City, Wolves and Sheffield United striker is coming to the end of his initial one-month deal at Latimer Park, but the Poppies boss will be hoping to persuade him to stick around a little longer.

"I will sit down with Leon and have a chat, but I have been delighted with him," said Leese.

"He came in for a purpose, and that we to be the target and to be a foil for either Sam Bennett or Ty (Lewthwaite), and he has done exactly that.

"Those two didn't play particularly well together in my book, they are both young strikers, and Clarkey has brought an awful lot to them, and a lot of know-how as well.

"So I am hopeful we can keep the group we have got, and we are going to need to because we have that many games to play, we need everybody."

Interview by Peter Short