We've all had to dig in, says Kettering Town captain Connor

Kettering Town captain Connor Kennedy has praised everyone at the club for “digging deep” during a tough week for the club.

The Poppies’ preparations for last weekend’s clash at Bradford (Park Avenue) were thrown into chaos when Paul Cox resigned as manager and was subsequently appointed as the new boss of Vanarama National League North rivals Boston United.

Academy director Luke Graham and technical director Alan Doyle took charge of the game, which ended in a dramatic 2-1 defeat before the Poppies made their move to appoint former King’s Lynn Town boss Ian Culverhouse as Cox’s permanent successor.

A threadbare Kettering squad then turned in a battling display in a 1-0 loss to high-flying Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday night.

Since then, there has been time to draw breath as the preparations begin for this weekend’s trip to Darlington where Kennedy is hoping the Poppies can make a return to winning ways.

“With the old gaffer leaving on Friday night, it’s been difficult for everyone when it comes to preparations and things like that,” the Kettering skipper said.

“But everyone has dug in as deep as they can. I don’t think we have had a great deal of luck in the last two games.

“I don’t think it has come down to performances. I feel we have performed well. I just don’t think things have really gone for us.

“It’s football. What we have been through in the last week, these things happen. All you can do is get on with it.

“But I think the club have made a very good appointment. The new gaffer has won this league and he has experience of it.

“He seems to know his stuff and I am looking forward to working with him. We just have to get to work in training and try to get back to winning ways.”

Kennedy, meanwhile, was involved in one of the huge talking points in the midweek defeat to Kidderminster.

He rose to challenge visiting goalkeeper Luke Simpson late on in the game with the ball falling to Jordon Crawford who thought he had headed home the equaliser.

But referee Greg Rollason halted the celebrations by awarding a free-kick to Kidderminster, which it turned out was for handball against Kennedy.

“Over the whole of the game, I felt we were the better team in tough conditions for everyone,” Kennedy added.

“Teams don’t like coming to our ground and it’s disappointing to not get at least a point out of the game.

“With the goal being ruled out, the referee said it wasn’t a foul, he said I handballed it. I didn’t. But there’s not much you can do about it unfortunately.”