Poppies drawn away in 3rd Q Round of FA Cup

Update: St Albans City ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in the replay at home to Enfield Town and will now host Kettering in the 3rd Qualifying Round.

Kettering Town were handed an away trip to the winners of the replay between Enfield Town and St Albans City, following Monday's 3rd Qualifying Round FA Cup draw.

The first match at Enfield Town ended in a 1-1 draw and the replay at St Albans City takes place on Tuesday 27th September 2005 to decide who will host the Poppies in the next round, to be played Saturday 0ctober 8th 2005.

Moore puts Poppies through in FA Cup

Kettering Town 1
Stafford Rangers 0
(FA Cup 2Q Rnd)

Kettering Town's top scorer Christian Moore struck in the 69th minute to break the hold that fellow Conference North opponents Stafford Rangers appeared to have on his side, putting the Poppies through to the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

Another close encounter that saw both sides defending well in the first-half and the home side still unable to find a way past the vistors solid back four. The second period started with Kettering pressing forward with the three strikers that Wilson opted to start with pressuring the Rangers defence.

Moore penalty earns Poppies a point at Harrogate

Harrogate Town    1
Kettering Town     1

Kettering Town manager Kevin Wilson welcomed striker Christian Moore back into the starting lineup and partnered the top scorer with Junior McDougald in attack. Liam Nicell, Andy Hall, Ian Robinson and Jamie Patterson all start for the Poppies at Harrogate with Ollie Burgess and James Gould on the bench.

A relatively quiet first-45 minutes with neither side able to produce the final touch in front of goal to make the breakthrough and with both defences holding the upper-hand it remained goaless at the half-time break.

Rangers again in the FA Cup

Kettering Town will again play host to Conference North rivals Stafford Rangers in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup to be played on Saturday 24th September 2005.

The draw is the reverse of last season's 2nd Qualifying Round tie which ended in a 2-2 draw at Marston Road, unfortunately Rangers won the replay at Rockingham Road 1-0.

Under 18's score another victory.

Kettering Town Under 18's followed up last week's 3-0 victory over Raunds with an even more emphatic defeat of Irchester.

Five goals up at half-time, they added a further three without reply and ran out 8-0 winners with the defence making sure it was another clean sheet.

Paterson off as Poppies succumb to last gasp winner

Kettering Town      0
Stafford Rangers  1

Poppies boss Kevin Wilson stuck with the starting lineup from last Saturday, with the returning Ian Robinson joining the bench and Neil Midgley again paired with Roy Essandoh up front. Top scorer Christian Moore serves his final match of his three match suspension.

The first 45 minutes in very wet conditions was a fairly even contest with neither side able to find the breakthrough in front of goal despite both teams having half-chances to take the lead. The tension exploded dramatically shortly before the break when an altercation involving Jamie Paterson and Levi Reid saw the Poppies midfielder and his Rangers counterpart both sent-off and the two ten-man sides went into the dressing room still dead-locked at 0-0.

Under 18's off to a good start

Kettering Town Under-18's finally overcame a dogged Raunds Town side on Thursday night to eventually run out 3-0 winners over their hosts.

Hall header enough to tame Tigers

Kettering Town   1   Worksop Town   0

Midfielder Jamie Paterson returned to action for Kettering Town and manager Kevin Wilson opted for the more experienced attacking partnership of Neil Midgely and Roy Essandoh. Young striker Chris DiFante was again on the Bench and Andy Hall came into the Poppies starting lineup for the absent Ian Robinson in midfield.

Andy Hall delighted the home crowd when he headed past ex-Poppy Adam Sollitt in the Tigers goal to fire the Poppies in front after only 10 minutes on the clock, as Kettering took an early 1-0 lead against visitors Worksop Town. No further score in the remainder of the first 45 minures and the two teams head into the dressing rooms for the half-time break separated by a single goal.

Boro twice peg back Poppies

Nuneaton Borough   2   Kettering Town   2

Poppies boss Kevin Wilson made several changes from Saturday's starting lineup, brining in Andy Hall, Roy Essandoh and Neil Midgely, replacing Jamie Paterson, Junior McDougald and top scorer Christian Moore who is suspended for the next three matches.

The changes paid almost immediate dividends when Neil Midgely showed great composure to chip the ball past Boro keeper Darren Acton and put the Poppies 1-0 up at Manor Park after only 12 minutes of play. The celebrations from the Poppies supporters had barely subsided when the home side pulled back on level terms courtesy of Michael Frew after 26 minutes and with no further scoring the two teams went into the half-time break all-square.

Moore double gives Poppies narrow win over Hyde

Kettering Town   3   Hyde Utd   2

Poppies boss Kevin Wilson continues with the same starting lineup as the previous matches, which means Andy Hall and Liam Nicell again start on the bench and McDougald and top scorer Christian Moore are again partnered up front for Kettering.

Kettering got off to the worst possible start against the Conference North bottom club, conceding a goal to Dale Johnson's clever chip after just 5 minutes to trail 1-0 and midway through the first-half. Matthers then appeared decidely worse for the Poppies when midfielder Jamie Paterson went off injured and had to be replaced by substitute Andy Hall.

The outlook improved for Kettering and the scores were back level again a couple minutes later when an Ollie Burgess free-kick took a fortuitous deflection past the stranded Hyde keeper on the way into the visitor's net to make it 1-1. With the half-time whistle rapidly approaching Christian Moore once again shows his predatory instincts to nip-in and score from close range, giving the home side a 2-1 lead at the half-time break.

Main Stand to be re-opened

Kettering chairman Peter Mallinger announced the re-opening of the Main Stand following the Safety Advisory Group's report based on the results of the structural inspection carried out by the concrete and steel contractors.

The stand has been cleared as safe to be re-opened, apart from the grey seating area and the front six rows that were originally closed. These two areas will remain closed until the repair work is completed in the affected structural supports.

Paterson header enough for Poppies

Lancaster City   0   Kettering Town   1

Kevin Wilson made only one change to his squad at Lancaster by bringing in Roy Essandoh on the bench to replace goalkeeper Rob McNey. The Poppies starting lineup is unchanged from the previous two matches, with Junior McDougald and Christian Moore again partnered up front.

With neither side able to find a clear-cut opening in the early stages of what Kevin Wilson had previously warned would be a tough encounter at the Giant Axe, the two teams went into the half-time break still deadlocked at 0-0. The main excitement of the first 45 minutes unfolded when the referee pointed to the penalty spot following a foul on Jamie Paterson, however the referee's assistant had already flagged for offside and Kettering were denied a golden chance to go in front.