Poppies hang on to beat Nuneaton 3-2 in close encounter

Kettering Town 3
Hall 5
Brown og 76
Howe 80

Nuneaton Borough 2
Graham og 23
Oddy 86

Neil Midgley was recalled in time for the local derby (from loan at Cambridge City) but started on the bench with Rene Howe returning to replace the suspended Darren Caskey in the starting lineup.

Kettering got off to a great start on 5 minutes when Andy Hall fired in a long range strike that flew past Darren Acton in the Boro goal to put the home side 1-0 up.

The visitors fought back from the early setback and eventually got back on level terms on 23 minutes through an own goal by Luke Graham to make it 1-1. The two teams went into the half-time break still locked together at 1-1.

Problems still evident as Poppies pegged back by Worcester

Kettering Town 1
Marna 45

Worcester City 1
Danks 82

Marcel MckIe retuns for today's Boxing Day clash and Darren Caskey continues his midfield role, but Rene Howe is out through suspension.

The early part of the game saw both sides trying to settle down into their respective rythmns with neither able to take control during the early exchanges and ex-Poppy Mark Danks was an early entry into the referee's notebook for City.

Danks was quickly followed by Andre Boucaud and Graham Ward as the referee started to clamp down as the match heated up a little, but still no decisive breakthrough from either side in the first half-hour.

Poppies away to Celtic in Trophy 2nd Round

Kettering Town were handed an away tie at fellow Conference North outfit Stalybridge Celtic in the FA Trophy 2nd Round draw which took place on Monday.

Celtic had to first overcome Hinckley Utd in last night's replay following a 2-2 draw at the Bower Fold on Saturday when the Knitters cameback from a 2-0 half-time deficit to earn a replay.

Stalybridge again took a 2-0 half-time lead before a goal by the Knitters reduced the deficit but this time there was to be no equaliser and the visitors went through 2-1 to setup the tie against the Poppies to be played on 13th Jan 2007.

Howe puts Poppies through to the FA Trophy 2nd Round

Kettering Town 1
Howe 73

Stafford Rangers 0

Due to the suspension of Marcel McKie, Darren Caskey started for the Poppies and with the return of Andre Boucaud to midfield, manager Morell Maison opted to leave Liam Nicell on the bench for this FA Trophy 1st Round tie.

In stark contrast to the previous round, a very quiet first 45 minutes at Rockingham Road with neither side able to find the crucial final touch in front of goal and the two teams headed for the changing rooms still deadlocked at 0-0.

Howe off as Poppies salvage point at Blyth

Blyth Spartans 2
Lowther 53
Forster 78
Dale sent-off

Kettering Town 2
Makofo 32
Howe 90
Howe 90 sent-off

Kettering Town manager Morell Maison was forced to reshuffle his starting lineup due to the suspension of Andre Boucaud with Darren Caskey replacing the midfielder. Liam Nicell also came into the lineup for Marcel McKie who is on the bench.

A close first 45 minutes at Croft Road with Serge Makofo's goal after 32 minutes following a fast break and pass from Rene Howe, the only thing seperating the two teams that sat in 4th and 5th places before today's match, as the half-time whistle sounded.