The struggles continue on the road for ‘naive’ Poppies

While the Poppies have performed well at Latimer Park, they are enduring a miserable run away from home with last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Chorley being their eighth loss in 10 away games this season.

More worryingly, Kettering have lost their last six away games in the Vanarama National League North without scoring a goal.

It’s in stark contrast to their home form, which has seen them pick up 10 points from the last 12 available at Latimer Park.

The defeat at Chorley clearly hurt Glover more than any other so far, simply because he felt there was definitely something in it for his team with the way the game panned out.

But it was the word “naive” that continually cropped up for the Poppies manager who said: “It was very dour in the first half, which is always good for the away team.

“But we got undone with a bit of naive defending and conceded two goals. We weren’t happy about that, I felt we should have got something out of the game.

“I was really disappointed not to get anything from it.

“I wouldn’t say the away form and all the talk that goes with it is getting on my nerves. The fact is, what has been going on at home hasn’t been going on away.

“It doesn’t help when you have a really good performance on the Tuesday night (a 2-0 home win against Hereford) and then roll up on the Saturday and two lads (Stephan Morley and George Cooper) fail fitness tests.

“But I just feel that, away from home, we are a bit naive at times.

“Certainly on Saturday, there were opportunities to play more than we did and we have got to look at retaining possession better away from home and having the unit closer together, more compact.

“We did have two really good chances and we hit the target and worked the goalkeeper.

“There weren’t loads and loads of chances for either side, which really should suit the away team and that’s what annoys me more than anything.

“If you’re going away and the game is dour, that’s what you want. You don’t want an open game when you’re struggling.

“I said at half-time that I felt we could go on and win it if we were a bit braver in possession.

“But there were bits of naivety that cost us. It was very disappointing.”