Poppies host Oldham in FA Cup 1st Round

Kettering Town will host Coca-cola League One outfit Oldham Athletic in the 1st Round of the FA Cup after today's draw.

Kettering's 1-0 away win over Conference National outfit Southport in the 4th Qualifying Round was rewarded with a home tie against the Latics, currently in the top-half of League One.

The 1st Round tie will take place at Rockingham Road on Saturday 11th November 2006.

Osborn off but Poppies run out 1-0 winners at Southport

Southport 0
Kirkup 45 - sent off

Kettering Town 1
Solkhon 40
Osborn 45 - sent off

Southport's reaction to their recent poor run has been to draft in four new players and all four are straight into the lineup against the Poppies in this FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round fixture at Haig Avenue. Kettering bring in Serge Makofo for the injured Koo-Boothe.

A lively start with both teams creating early chances and both keepers needed to be on their toes as first Mark Boyd and then Zema Abbey tested their shooting boots.

The first half progressed in the same vein with neither side able to provide that final touch and both keepers denying a change in the scoresheet as the play continued to switch to both ends of the pitch and good goalscoring chances were spurned.

Poppies hold on for win after Koo-Boothe injury

Kettering Town 2
Solkhon 48
Abbey 54

Stalybridge Celtic 1
Hume 66

Kettering boss Morell Maison has opted for the more familiar front pairing of Zema Abbey and Craig Westcarr against Celtic and recent signing Marcell McKie also makes the starting lineup as Craig McIlwain starts on the bench.

A lively first period with neither side able to fully take control of the match and force the vital breakthrough. Mark Osborn in the Poppies goal appears the busier of the two goalkeepers leading up to the half-time break, but most of the action has taken place in the middle of the park.

Kettering struggled to produce any of the goal chances that they normally carve out in abundance and but for some excellent defensive work could easily have found themselves trailing, instead of all-square at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Poppies away to Southport in FA Cup 4Q

Kettering Town were drawn away to Conference National outfit Southport in the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

Hardly the tie that the majority of Kettering supporters had in mind and the long trip North to Haig Avenue presents a tough hurdle for the Poppies to overcome if they are to progress into the 1st Round proper of this season's competition.

The tie is to be played on Saturday 28th October 2006 with the winners receiving £10,000 and a place in the 1st Round proper, with a chance of coming up against one of the 48 League clubs that will be entering at that stage.

Poppies squeeze through in FA Cup

Kettering Town 2
Hall 38
Abbey 44

Rocester 1
Rowley 47 pen

Kettering Town took a while to settle into the match and were denied by a battling Roman's defence for most of the first period until Andy Hall made the breakthrough on 38 minutes to put the home side 1-0 up. With the half-time whistle fast approaching, Zema Abbey increased the Poppies lead to 2-0 on 44 minutes.

The second-half got underway and just when it appeared as though Kettering were taking control of the tie, the visitors reduced the deficit through a penalty from Rowley and suddenly were right back in the match at 2-1. Neither side could find the key goal that both were after and at the final whistle the home fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Poppies suffer from vertigo, pegged back at Alfreton

Alfreton Town 1
Mitchell 70

Kettering Town 1
Westcarr 4

Kettering Town once again seemed to suffer from a fear of heights as a 1-1 draw against Alfreton Town at the Impact Arena kept them off the top of the table, despite the Poppies 1-0 up and looking comfortable at the break.

Kettering got off to a great start and took the lead through Craig Westcarr after just 4 minutes and as the match progressed, the first 45 minutes appeared to be business as usual, despite Kettering failing to add to their slender lead by half-time.

Poppies drawn at home again in 3Q of FA Cup

Kettering Town were first out of the hat again today and will host Rocester at Rockingham Road on Saturday 14th October 2006 in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

Kettering have met the Romans once before in the FA Cup, last time around it was the in 1st Qualifying Round back in the 1996-97 season when the Poppies won 3-0 at Rocester.

The Romans are currently lying in 18th place in the Midland Football Alliance with just one victory in 8 starts so far this season, but they booked their place in the 3rd Qual Round after winning 2-0 away at Gedling Town on Saturday.