ROUND-UP: Kettering Town break league duck as Langmead strike seals win at Bromsgrove

The Poppies players celebrate Tyrone Lewthwaite's opening goal at Bromsgrove (Picture: Peter Short)

Andy Leese's men went into the game on a high following their FA Cup win at Hullbridge Sports a week earlier, their first win in any competition this term.

And they backed it up with a crucial first league victory thanks to two goals inside the opening 14 minutes on a scorching hot afternoon in the west midlands.

It was Kettering's first away win since February 4!

Tyrone Lewthwaite set the Poppies on their way with the opener on nine minutes, and Kettering then doubled their advantage five minutes later through veteran defender Kelvin Langmead.

The home side were stunned but worked their way back into the game. and the Poppies were indebted to a string of saves from goalkeeper Josh Blunkell.

Bromsgrove kept plugging away in the searing heat and did grab a goal back in stoppage time, but it was too little too late.

Despite the win, the Poppies remain second bottom, and they return to league action on Tuesday when they host second-placed Needham Market.

Elsewhere, both Corby Town and AFC Rushden & Diamonds crashed out of the FA Trophy.

The Steelmen were beaten 2-0 at Anstey Nomads, with both goals coming in the first-half, and they also ended the match with 10 men following the 73rd-minute dismissal of Drew Richardson.

Diamonds drew their clash at Loughborough Dynamo 1-1, only to then lose the penalty shootout 5-3.

Dynamo had taken a 21st-minute lead, only for Diamonds to level the match 12 minutes later, Pharrell Anderson scoring only the team's second goal of the season.

Both Corby and Diamonds have a free midweek before return to Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division action on Saturday.

The Steelmen travel to Hinckley LRFC while rock-bottom Diamonds will be aiming to bring a halt to a run of six straight defeats as they go to a Coventry Sphinx just one place above them in the table.