VERDICT: Poppies relegated as they go down with a whimper on final day

Yet another defeat on the road, where Lee Glover’s team have been dreadful throughout the campaign, coupled with Blyth Spartans’ big home win over Hereford was enough to ensure the Poppies will be plying their trade back at Step 3 when next season begins.

And, quite frankly, they have got exactly what they deserved - particularly for their form during the home stretch.

It was 12 games ago that they beat Curzon Ashton to move onto 41 points at the time.

It gave them 12 games to find what we now know to be 10 points to survive - they found just one win and only eight points.

It was a campaign that had started with chaos last summer with the majority of last season’s successful squad departing while the surprise arrival of Glover as manager was coupled with having to almost start from scratch when putting a new squad together.

And, despite an obvious improvement as the season progressed and the squad got stronger, a lack of goals, an appalling away record and that dreadful last dozen games ultimately resulted in them being condemned to the drop.

With captain Gary Stohrer suspended, Sunderland loanee Tom Scott was given the nod while the Poppies reverted to three at the back with Lewis White joining George Cooper and stand-in skipper Brad Gascoigne at the heart of the defence.

Glover also named striker Jordan Graham among the substitutes after he returned following a loan spell at Hednesford Town.

In general, Kettering negotiated the first 45 minutes pretty well.

Kidderminster started brightly with Joe Leesley sending a curling effort over the bar early on while the Poppies were twice caught out by quick free-kicks but escaped on both occasions with Owen Mason making one comfortable save to deny Ashley Hemmings.

The closest either side came was when Mason produced a decent stop after Krystian Pearce had got his head to a Leesley free-kick.

At the other end, the Poppies did cause a few nervous moments for the hosts, particularly from the long throw of Rhys Sharpe.

And the home crowd held their breath for a moment when George Forsyth’s shot deflected into the path of George Cooper who saw his shot saved by Christian Dibble, although the flag was already up for offside.

As it stood at the break, the Poppies were safe by virtue of a better goal difference than Farsley Celtic.

But the second half wasn’t even two minutes old when the writing began to appear on the wall.

Having been switched on in the first half, Kettering switched off and a left-wing cross arrived at the far post along with Joe Foulkes who finished well into the bottom corner.

The Poppies struggled to get anything going after that setback and they were fortunate to go 2-0 down on the hour when Amari Morgan-Smith saw his effort come back off the post before his second attempt flew over the crossbar.

Glover rolled the dice as he threw Graham into the mix but the damage was well and truly done on 64 minutes.

Leesley was allowed too much time and he gratefully picked his spot with a fine striker from 25 yards.

It left Kettering needing two goals but that was never likely given their goal-shy campaign and the final nail was hammered into their Southern League-shaped coffin when Hemmings produced a magnificent long-range effort, which flew into the top corner and gave Mason no chance.

The Poppies finally registered their first attempt on target with just under 10 minutes to go when Jimmy Knowles forced Dibble into a smart stop.

But there was, of course, no way back.

It’s been a season to forget and everyone will now wait to see what the full ramifications of relegation will be.

The final word, however, can go to the Kettering fans as 283 travelled to witness their team go down with a whimper. They deserve better…

Kidderminster: Dibble; Penny (sub Knight-Percival, 77 mins), Morrison, Pearce; Foulkes, Brown, Byrne, Leesley (sub Lissimore, 82 mins), Richards; Hemmings (sub Bearne, 89 mins), Morgan-Smith. Subs not used: Palmer, Hall.

Poppies: Mason; White (sub Sheriff, 66 mins), Cooper, Gascoigne; Myles, Sault (sub Graham, 61 mins), Forsyth, Scott (sub Bennett, 77 mins), Sharpe; Ward, Knowles. Subs not used: Hill, Lewthwaite.

Referee: Richard Aspinall.

Goals: Foulkes (47 mins, 1-0), Leesley (64 mins, 2-0), Hemmings (78 mins, 3-0).

Bookings: Cooper, Foulkes (both fouls).

Attendance: 3,786 (283 Poppies fans).