Tough Friday night trek awaits as Poppies try to find their way on the road

But that’s what lies ahead for Lee Glover’s team tomorrow evening after the game was brought forward to avoid a potential clash with an England World Cup which, ironically, will now not be an issue.

However, Glover insists the club will do everything they can to ensure the players are ready for a tough clash against a Darlington side who have been flying this season and have the chance to, for 24 hours at least, take over at the top of the National League North.

There have been few issues on home soil for the Poppies as last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Southport made it seven games without defeat at Latimer Park.

And Glover knows it’s the away form that is holding his team back from being, at least, in a comfortable mid-table position instead of nervously looking over the shoulder as they currently sit just above the relegation zone.

“They (Darlington) are one of the form sides in the league and they had a great result at Hereford recently,” the Poppies boss said.

“They are one of the biggest clubs in the division. I can remember playing against them in the Football League so they have slipped down a bit and it looks like they are galvansing themselves and having a promotion push this season.

“Obviously, it is a trek and we are trying to make sure we have everything right to give ourselves the best chance of getting something from the game.

“The only thing that has held us back from climbing the table is our away form.

“Even with bang average away form, we would be mid-table or above and it’s very, very concerning for me.

“We want to go there and make sure we get the performance level right.

“That’s been the biggest disappointment is that the level of performance hasn’t been right, it wasn’t in the second half at Chorley and it wasn’t right in the second half at Chester.

“So we need to get that performance level away from home matching what we have been doing at home.

“We have to make sure we get the fundamentals right.”

So what has actually been the problem for Kettering on the road this season?

“It’s a combination of a few things,” Glover continued.

“We just haven’t done the basics and fundamentals as well as we have done at home.

“We need to be a bit braver when we are in possession but we are actually going into the game in reasonable form.

“There shouldn’t be a lack of confidence but maybe we’re a bit apprehensive because we haven’t managed to get a result away from home.

“We can’t control anything that’s gone on before. We just have to focus on this game and make sure we get the basics right.”

“We won’t go with the mentality of sitting off the game. We need to be clever, we need to be street smart in possession and we need to do those basics better than we have done away from home recently.”

Squad wise, it’s been a case of ‘one in, one out’ over the last week at Latimer Park.

The Poppies confirmed the signing of midfielder George Forsyth on loan from Southern League Premier Central club Bromsgrove Sporting, initially until January 3 and he came off the bench to make his debut in the draw with Southport.

And Kettering also confirmed this week that experienced midfielder Kemy Agustien has left the club after making six appearances for them.