Rowe delivers last-gasp winner as Kettering Town boost play-off chances
Poppies fans were sent into delirium when Blaine Rowe glanced home a dramatic winner four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game to grab a crucial 2-1 victory over Worcester City in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central on Saturday.
The win takes Kettering to the heady heights of fourth in the table, and their play-off destiny is very much in their own hands.
Making just one change to the team that was so easily taken apart by Stratford Town on Easter Monday, Liam McDonald cut a frustrated figure in the initial stages as the Poppies started slowly.
The visiting Blues took the lead within eight minutes when a cross from the left was sent in by Liam Lockett.
The ball found Harry Burns 12 yards out and soft Kettering marking couldn't stop him heading beyond Paul White.
Burns was then denied by White nine minutes later when his first time shot from a tight angle was smothered by the Poppies keeper.
But Kettering found their way back via the phlegmatic Eddie Panter, who took a touch just outside the area to settle the ball, before firing low to the left of Sam Kane on 20 minutes and make it 1-1.
Zac Guinan could have regained the lead for the visitors but could only head wide on 43 minutes - as did Rowe two minutes later, nodding a Lewis Coyle corner the wrong side of the near post.
The second half was a much cagier affair with Worcester's best chance a dangerous corner on 68 minutes, while Kane had to be at his best to dive low and bravely keep out Panter on 72 minutes.
Nathan Jeche thought he had made the breakthrough minutes later by turning in a deflected corner, but the flag was instantly raised.
However, the Poppies kept probing right until the end, knowing that they always had chances via set pieces.
And after a first corner in stoppage time was kept out by Worcester, there was nothing they could do about the second as another excellent Coyle delivery was curled towards the near post and Rowe didn't repeat the miss from the first half, instead heading home across the face of goal to spark wild celebrations.
Joy was increased further upon hearing that nearest rivals Redditch United and Halesowen Town both lost.
But with both West Midlands sides travelling to Kettering in the next five days, the work is far from done for the Poppies as they continue to realise a play-off dream that seemed almost impossible in January.
The first of those two crunch ties is on Tuesday night when McDonald's former Redditch side are the visitors to Latimer Park.