Appiah and Wrack give Poppies 2-0 victory at Gateshead

January 26, 2010—

Gateshead 0

Kettering Town 2
Appiah 15
Wrack 40

Kettering Town make the long trek North to Gateshead looking to bounce back after a lot of effort but a lack of finishing, saw them go down 2-0 at current table toppers Stevenage Borough on Saturday. Andre Boucaud is out following a clash of heads on Saturday and Kwesi Appiah starts with Anthony Robinson on the bench.

GOAL:   Kettering got off to a flying start at Gateshead and almost took the lead when Jean-Paul Marna struck the ball well but a block from James Curtis denied the visitors a dream start. The rescue was short-lived however, when on 15 minutes Marna turned provider and Kwesi Appiah fired in low past the keeper to score his first goal for the Poppies.

Kettering tried to press home their early advantage but James Curtis blocked an effort from Patrick Noubissie and keeper Paul Farman saved a goal-bound strike from Jean-Paul Marna as the Poppies were enjoying the better share of the first-half hours possession. James Sinclair drilled an effort wide of Abbey's upright as the home side countered.

Kettering are playing true to manager Lee Harper's word of having more shots on goal as Marna is again denied by the diving Farman and at the other end Darren Williams shoots past the lefthand upright. The home beginning to force their way back into the match as Phil Turnbull forces Nathan Abbey to make another save to deny an equaliser from 20yds out.

GOAL:   Just as it appeared the home side were on top, Kettering increased their lead to 2-0 when Darren Wrack picked up possession just inside the area and blasted the ball into the top right-hand corner past the stranded Farman with 5 minutes left to the break to make it 2-0 to the Poppies.

Gateshead try to recover and Nathan Abbey has to be alert as in quick succession he makes saves to deny James Curtis and James Sinclair as Marcus Kelly helps out at the back, clearing an inswinging corner just before the referee blows to signal the end of an excellent first 45 minutes for Kettering who take a 2-goal lead into the break.

Half-time:   Gateshead 0 Kettering Town 2

The second period gets underway in front of a sparse attendance of just 401 spectators and it's a little bit scrappy as both teams battle for control in the middle of the park and the opening minutes of play are littered with free-kicks. Ten minutes into the second-half and Gateshead make a double substitution as off come James Sinclair and Wayne Phillips to be replaced by Alex Francis and Brian Wake.

Plenty of build-up play but the final ball from both teams is a little lacking as we move into the final 30 minutes of the match. Kettering make their first substitution as Anthony Robinson comes on to replace Jean-Paul Marna on 64 minutes. Phil Turnbull fires wide of the goal and at the other end Anthony Robinson almost makes an immediate impact but his strike flies wide to the left of the home goal.

Into the final 15 minutes with Kettering still two-goals up as the home side cannot seem to find a way through a stubborn Poppies defence. Alton Thewell clears from a Francis corner and minutes later John Dempster clears another inswinger from Alex Francis as Gateshead begin to have more possession in the closing stages of the match. Daryl Clare fires wide as the home side press forward to try and reduce the deficit.

A yellow card for Alex Francis for a foul on James Dance and Kettering make another substitution as Marcus Kelly makes way for Danny Thomas on 78 minutes. With both side's possession fairly even and Kettering leading by a 2-goal cushion the match winds down to what looks like an inevitable conclusion with only five minutes of normal time remaining.

A last minute effort by substitute Brian Wake goes wide to the right from inside the box and it sums up the shooting of the home side as Poppies keeper Nathan Abbey has been fairly comfortable all afternoon. Frustration creeps into the home side as Darren Williams is shown the yellow card in stoppage time following his foul on Kwesi Appiah. Francis has the final shot for Gateshead but again the effort is wide of the mark and at the final whistle Kettering run out fairly comfortable 2-0 winners.

Poppies boss Lee Harper wanted his players to be more attacking following a poor shooting display in their defeat at Stevenage and they showed that they had listened in a first-half period by taking a 2-goal lead which they never really looked likely to surrender. A good result from along trip and it's back to a home match against Crawley Town on Saturday.

Att: 401

Kettering Town: Abbey, Thelwell, Dempster, Roper, Jennings, Dance, Wrack, Noubissie, Kelly, Appiah, Marna. Subs: Cooper, Hadfield, Robinson(Marna 64), Taylor, Thomas(Kelly 78).

Gateshead: Farman, Baxter, Curtis, Bains, Robinson, Sinclair, Turnbull, Williams, Phillips, Clare, Armstrong. Subs: Provett, Jones, Francis(Sinclair 55), McDermott, Wake(Phiilips 55).