10-man Poppies hold on for draw at Redditch

Redditch Utd 4
Hollis 44(pen), 78
Ball 52, 85

Kettering Town 4
Howe 16
Dempster 37
Solkhon 39
Osborn - sent off 44
Boucaud 69

Kettering Town boss Morell Maison not surprisingly put Brett Solkhon staight back into the starting lineup at the Valley Stadium, but perhaps what was surpsrising is that Andy Hall made way for Moses Olaleye, with Darren Caskey again on the bench for the Poppies and joined by Jean Black.

After Tuesday's battling victory Kettering were looking for a similar performance away to Conference North strugglers Redditch and they got off to a great start when Rene Howe got on the end of a cross from Craig Westcarr to head the Poppies 1-0 in front.

Kettering continued to press and on 37 minutes a corner from Craig Westcarr sat invitingly for John Dempster to head home his first goal for the Poppies to put them 2-0 up. The home side almost reduced the deficit when Rickards hit the post but the returning Brett Solkhon put the Poppies firmly in control when he scored to make it 3-0 from yet another excellent cross from Westcarr.

It looked as though Kettering were in complete control until a breakthrough by Richard Bull was ended by Mark Osborn bringing him down, the referee produced the red card and the Poppies were down to 10-men. Simon Hollis promptly dispatched the penalty past Brett Solkhon (with Nick Bussey not on the bench) to reduce the deficit to 3-1 at the half-time break.

Half-time .. Redditch Utd 1 Kettering Town 3

Poppies boss Morell Maison was probably regretting the decision not to name a substitute goalkeeper shortly after the restart when poor Brett Solkhon was again picking the ball out of the back of the net as Richard Ball reduced the deficit to 3-2 and Kettering were really up against it.

A real break came for the Poppies as the home side pressed for an equaliser and Andre Boucaud produced one of his superb strikes from distance to restore the visitors lead to two goals and send the traveling support into a frenzy to make it 4-2 to Kettering in a match full of real drama at the Valley Stadium.

With the game moving into the final stages the nerves continued to be frayed for both sets of supporters and the drama continued as Simon Hollis pulled the home side back within a single goal again making it 4-3 and set up what promised to be a traumatic last 10 minutes for Poppies fans.

Kettering came under intense pressure by Redditch and again crumbled on 85 minutes when Richard Ball equalised for the home side to make it 4-4 going into the last few nail-biting minutes at the Valley Stadium with Redditch determined to go for a winner and Kettering trying to cope with being a man short.

The final whistle ended a very dramatic match and much to the relief of the traveling support Kettering managed to hold on for a point with the home side closing in for the kill. A real disappointment for Kettering after being 3-0 up and in control, having to settle for a single point at 4-4.

Att: 670

Kettering: Osborn, Mckie, Dempster, Graham, Theobald, McIlwain, Solkhon, Olaleye, Boucaud, Howe, Westcarr. Subs: Makofo, Hall, Caskey, Black, Olaleye, Peprah.

Redditch: Antiss, Taylor, Softley, Murphy, Geohaghon, Ball, Petty, A.Walker, Hollis, Rickards, Palmer. Subs: Cottrill, Rea, Adams, Clarke, D. Walker.