Poppies recover after early setback at home to Yaxley

Kettering Town 5
Blewett og 28
Caskey 45
Westcarr 61,
Graham 70

Yaxley 1
McIlwain og 21

Kettering Town started with a strong lineup against UCL outfit Yaxley in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round with Darren Caskey in midfield and Craig Westcarr a lone striker flanked by Andy Hall and Serge Makofo (who replaces Rene Howe, apparently injured in the warm-up).

Despite all the hype and pre-match talk of taking the opposition seriously, Kettering found themsleves losing 1-0 to the UCL side as the home supporters looked on stunned when Craig McIlwain deflected the ball past his own keeper and Yaxley fairly deserved their lead.

Defender in, striker out

Kettering Town announced the signing of 22 year-old defender Marcel McKie, the left-sided player was released by Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and has recently had trials at Crewe Alexandra. "He is genuinely left footed and adds the pace we were slightly lacking at the back" explained Poppies boss Morell Maison.

The club also announced that Poppies striker Neil Midgley has gone on a three month loan to Cambridge City 'in a bid to gain match fitness'.

Poppies earn valuable draw at Droylsden

Droylsden 1
Fearns 60

Kettering Town 1
Koo-Boothe 83

The long-awaited Poppies debut for Darren Caskey has arrived as the ex-Spurs midfielder is named in the starting lineup at the Butchers Arms. Serge Makofo is the unlucky player who makes way and joins Jean-Paul Marna on the bench, with Rene Howe and Craig Westcarr today's preferred front pairing. Incidentally, there's no sign of top scorer Zema Abbey in the starting lineup or on the Poppies bench.

A tense first 45 minutes with neither side able to make the telling breakthrough despite decent chances at both ends and as the teams currently lying in 2nd and 3rd spot in the table headed for their half-time cuppa they remained deadlocked at 0-0.

Poppies at home to Yaxley in FA Cup

Kettering Town have been drawn at home to UCL outfit Yaxley in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round to be played on Saturday 30th September.

Yaxley FC, located just South of Peterborough off the A1, have yet to record a league win so far this season in 7 attempts and are currently lying bottom-but-one in the United Counties League. Their FA Cup form however, is in stark contrast having reached the 2nd Qualifying Round stage after two away victories in the earlier rounds.

First beating Essex Senior League outfit Hullbridge Sports 2-0 in front of 54 spectators at Lower Road in the Preliminary round, before knocking out Isthmian Division One North side Wivenhoe Town 2-1 in front of 83 spectators at Broad Lane.

Poppies win 3-1 at home to Scarborough

Kettering Town 3
Solkhon 13, 31
Lyth 51 (og)

Scarborough 1
Whittington 77

Kettering Town manager Morell Maison changed around his front pairing again as Jean-Paul Marna came into the starting lineup alongside Rene Howe, with Zema Abbey and Craig Westcarr starting on the bench. Nathan Koo-Boothe recovered from Tuesday's knockout to retain his starting spot.

Kettering off to a great start on 13 minutes when a corner found Luke Graham who calmly shook off the Seadogs defenders attentions, crossed the ball to Brett Solkhon in space at the far post, leaving the Poppies midfielder a simple task to beat Aspden and put the home side 1-0 up.

The visitors battled hard to try and get back on level terms after falling behind early on, but the Poppies midfield held the upper-hand and the home side's front pairing were denied on several occasions by both Aspden and the woodwork.

Kettering continued to press and a superb cross found the ever-dangerous Brett Solkhon in the area and the Poppies midfielder headed home to score his second goal of the match to put the Poppies 2-0 up shortly after the half-hour mark and comfortably in control going into the half-time break.

Vulnerable Poppies beaten at Nuneaton

Nuneaton Borough 2
Darby 41
McPhee 58

Kettering Town 1
Abbey 19

Kettering Town boss Morell Maison opted to start Rene Howe upfront alongside Zema Abbey at Manor Park, with Jean-Paul Marna and Craig Westcarr on the bench. Andre Boucaud and Andy Hall were both passed fit.

Nothing much separated the two teams early on as both sides settled into the match, but it was Kettering who made the breakthrough and went 1-0 up after 19 minutes gone in the first-half through Zema Abbey.

The home side eventually decided to mix it up and tempers flared after one challenge which caused a brief melee. Once the referee had regained control, Zema Abbey and former Poppy Derek Brown went into his notebook.

Nuneaton hit back just before half-time as Duane Darby pulled them back on level terms at 1-1 going into the half-time break.

Poppies leave it late at Leigh

Kettering Town 2
Marna 71
Howe 90

Leigh RMI 1
Settle 6

Poppies boss Morell Maison opted to bring Craig Westcarr straight back into the starting lineup (following his one-match suspension) alongside Abbey Zema, with Jean-Paul Marna and Rene Howe back on the bench.

Shortly after the kick-off it was painfully evident that Kettering's defensive problems still haven't been resolved as the home side took an early 1-0 lead on 6 minutes as Paul Howarth beat the advancing Mark Osborn to net at Hilton Park.

Leigh could easily have added a second but were denied as the home side dominated early on. Kettering finally worked their way back into the match and it was only the heroics of Leigh goalkeeper John Lamb that made sure the home side went into the break with their slender lead still intact.

Burrows returns to Corby

Poppies defender Mark Burrows has departed Kettering Town to return to his former club, Corby Town. Burrows asked to be released from his contract, after being frustrated at not being able to break into the starting lineup, having made one appearance at substitute while at Rockingham Road, the defender understandably wanted regular football.

Kettering manager Morell Maison commented, "I was determined to hang on to him. But the chairman saw the benefit of allowing him to leave and play football at a club he loves and Corby is his football club. The decision was made to release him from his contract and allow him to return there and we wish him all the best for it."

Poppies claim narrow 3-2 win over Barrow

Kettering Town 3
Abbey 32
Howe 70
Makofo 79

Barrow 2
Bond 43
Wilson 87(pen)

Kettering Town boss Morell Maison made two changes to his starting lineup as Jean-Paul Marna came in to replace the suspended Craig Westcarr and Andy Hall returned to the midfield in place of Moses Olaleye. Neil Midgley came onto the bench alongside Adam Fry.

The home side and Jean-Paul Marna in particular, looked lively up front in the opening minutes and almost scored shortly after the Frenchman was spoken to by the referee for a challenge on a Barrow player, as Kettering had the lion's share of the early play.

Kettering settled well into a 4-4-2 formation with Andre Boucaud and Brett Solkhon in the central midfield roles and Serge Makofo and Andy Hall wide, on a fairly windy afternoon at Rockingham Road. The visitors spent the first 15 minutes on the defensive but looked dangerous on the break and came more into the game as the match progressed.

A corner following disarray in the Poppies defence almost gave the visitors the lead but Andy Hall headed off the line and on the quick counter-attack Kettering almost took the lead themselves, but Brett Solkhons effort was cleared by the Barrow defence.