Mistake dooms Kettering to another home defeat, this time it's to York City

February 6, 2010—

Kettering Town 0

York City 1
Rankine 16

Kettering Town in fifth spot entertain third-placed York City in what promises to be a tough encounter at the Elgoods Brewery Arena this afternoon. Kwesi Appiah and Jordan Hadfield start with Anthony Robinson and Andre Boucaud on the bench.

A bright start for Kettering and a fast break saw the ball played into the area and Kwesi Appiah connected well and but a slight deflection took his effort over the crossbar. From the resulting corner a Kettering head was first to the ball and a superb acrobatic save from Michael Ingham clawed the header out from under the crossbar to deny the home side the lead. First into the notebook is Ian Roper for a clumsy challenge.

GOAL:   A fairly even game until a bad mistake by the usually rock-solid Ian Roper lets in the visitors and they make no mistake as Michael Rankine latches onto the loose ball and fires it past Nathan Abbey to give his side a 1-0 lead with 16 minutes gone.

Kettering playing five across the middle of the park and crowding out the visitors midfield have had a little more of the possession and several good chances but so far it's the team in sky blue that have the crucial one-goal advantage.

Another cross into the area from Dance is snared by the increasing muddy looking centre and a scramble sees Wrack fire one just wide of the mark with the defence struggling to cope with the tricky conditions after the big thaw has left the pitch water-heavy. A free-kick into the box under the floodlights that are necessary to lift the gloom surrounding the Arena is headed clear by the York defence with no Kettering player challenging.

James Dance skips past a defender and flashes off a shot which Michael Ingham does well to get down and stop. Michael Rankine goes into the notebook flowing a rash challenge. Marcus Kelly finds himself some space and fires towards goal but the angle is too great and it hits the side netting with Ingham looking on. Kettering pressing well for an equaliser but so far haven't managed to produce a finish good enough to beat the alert Ingham.

A free kick 30 yds out is whipped into the area by Jennings is cleared and he tries again, but again it's a poor ball that is easily cleared. A little scrappy going into the break as tempers flare and the referee will need to clam things down a bit as James Jennings is booked. Kettering have had more of the possession and the lion's share of attempts on goal but the mistake by Roper still gives York the advantage after the first 45 minutes.

Half-time:   Kettering Town 0 York City 1

No changes made by either side as the second-half gets underway. A melee erupts as a challenge goes in and the referee steps in to dish out more yellow cards, this time it's Alex Lawless and Jordan Hadfield who are the latest recipients. A good build up by York but Michael Rankine's strike hits the side netting.

A double substitution for Kettering as Darren Wrack and Patrick Noubissie make way for Andre Boucaud and Anthony Robinson. Michael Rankine lucky to escape a second yellow as the referee lets him off with another talking to after his second indiscretion within a minute and seconds later he is substituted by his own manger and replaced by Jimmy Sangare. Another excellent save by Michael Ingham to deny substitute Anthony Robinson making an instant impact.

With time running out Lee Harper makes his final substitution for Kettering bringing on Greg Taylor to replace Marcus Kelly try and get something out of this match still trailing 1-0. With only five minutes remaining Kettering still not looking likely to breakdown a determined visiting defence and certainly unable to beat a lively York keeper. The Poppies almost paid the price but a last-ditch tackle saw Thelwell clear after Abbey was rounded by Brodie inside the penalty area.

Michael Gash comes on to replace Chris Carruthers in the final few minutes of this close encounter and Kettering push forward in numbers but not able to breach the solid defensive wall doggedly defending their slender lead. Brodie is up-ended just outside the area and another booking for Kettering, this time James Dance, with the last few seconds of normal time ticking away. Five minutes of time added on by the fourth official for Kettering to try and salvage something from this one.

Barrett comes on to replace Alex Lawless for York and John Dempster is booked for a rash challenge in the dying seconds. The referee blows the whistle and signals another home defeat for Kettering who just couldn't find a way past the visitors back-line and paid the price for a bad mistake earlier in the first half and never recovered.

Att: 1,375

Kettering Town: Abbey, Thelwell, Dempster, Roper, Jennings, Dance, Hadfield, Wrack, Noubissie, Kelly, Appiah. Subs: Cooper, Robinson(Wrack 62), Taylor(Kelly 78), Boucaud(Noubissie 62), Thomas.

York City: Ingham, Parslow, McGurk, Graham, Meredith, Purkiss, Mackin, Lawless, Carruthers, Brodie, Rankine. Subs: Gash(Carruthers 86), Barrett(Lawless 90), Sangare(Rankine 66), Clarke, Pitt.