Stalemate for lacklustre Poppies at home to Hucknall

Kettering Town 0

Hucknall Town 0

Kettering Town entertained Hucknall Town at Rockingham Road this afternoon and the title race was fully-on with just 2pts separating the Poppies from current leaders Droylsden and Harrogate Town 1pt further back in 3rd spot at the start of play.

A very quiet first 45 minute period with Kettering unable to find that final touch that would enable them to break down a resolute visiting defence and at the break the scoreline remained goaless, as was the case in both the Redditch Utd-Droylsden and Worksop Town-Harrogate matches coincidentally.

Half Time: Kettering Town 0   Hucknall Town 0 ...

Poppies sign 18 year old striker Seanla

Kettering Town have signed youngster Stephane Claude Seanla who has been playing for the Poppies reserve side and the former Tottenham and Watford youth player has scored four goals in two matches. Poppies boss Morell Maison described the 18 year old as 'one for the future', "He's a natural goalscorer, but needs time to develop other sides of his game".

Howe scores four as Poppies win 5-3 at Hyde Utd

Hyde Utd 3
Seddon 8, 74
Gorman 67

Kettering Town 5
Howe 14, 20, 26, 66
Taylor og 55

Kettering Town traveled to Hyde Utd knowing they had to produce a similar performance to the one that gained them all 3pts at Worksop Town if they were to reduce the 5pt gap opened up following Droylsden's 4-1 victory over Farsley Celtic.

It was a disastrous start for the Poppies when Gareth Seddon put the home side 1-0 up after 8 minutes, but Kettering quickly settled down and were soon on level terms when Rene Howe scored from close range to make it 1-1 on 14 minutes.

Poppies win 2-0 away at Worksop Town

Worksop Town 0

Kettering Town 2
Dempster 44
Howe 60

Att: 372

Kettering: Osborn, Theobald, Graham, Dempster, McIlwain, Perpetuini, Boucaud, Caskey, Marna, Howe, Westcarr. Subs: Hall, Bussey, Solkhon, Okai, Makofo.

Worksop: Pettinger, Nicholson, Dawson, Jackson, Davies, Thompson, Robinson, Rowland, Staton, Froggatt, Jarman. Subs: Owens, Pritchard, Ratcliffe, Crane, Saunders.

Inconsistent Poppies crash at home to Workington

Kettering Town 2
Marna 45
Dempster 63

Workington 3
Johnston 3
May 72
Birks 81

It seems that nobody wants to win the Conference North this season, least of all Kettering, who despite the managers continual chest beating, cannot produce enough consistency to be able to string two wins together at the moment, just when it matters the most.

Today's defeat was an allround poor effort and costly mistakes allowed a more-determined visiting team to walk away with all three points by putting in the greater effort and again exposing the still present weaknesses in the Poppies defence.

Second-half turnaround keeps Poppies title-hopes alive in win over Gainsboro

Kettering Town 4
Howe 4
Dempster 57
Marna 76
Solkhon 88

Gainsborough Trinity 2
Trout 30
Ellis 44

Kettering Town manager Morell Maison has stubbornly persisted with his 'wingless' line-up for today's visit of Gainsborough Trinity, although at least both Andy Hall and Serge Makofo are on the bench. Mark Osborn returns between the posts for the Poppies and Andre Boucaud has started his two-match suspension.

Kettering got off to a flyer on 4 minutes when top scorer Rene Howe scored to give the home fans the best possible reason to feel optimistic that a good result was on the cards after the team's recent disappointing run of draws.

After the early drama when the Poppies caught their visitor's cold, the excitment seemed to wane a little with both sides trying to settle more comfortably into the match and impose their own rythmn on the game. The early euphoria of the home fans was shortly afterwards replaced by that returning feeling of apprehension as Gainsborough captilised on a mistake and pulled back on level terms to make it 1-1 through Charlie Trout on 30 mins.

Last-gasp Westcarr salvages a point for Poppies at home to 10-man Moors

Kettering Town 1
Westcarr 90

Moor Green 1
Davidson 20
Ayres - sent off 60

Kettering Town boss Morell Maison has again opted to leave out both wide players, Andy Hall (who is on the bench) and Serge Makofo, while Jean-Paul Marna is brought back into the starting lineup alongside Parys Okai and Andre Boucaud, with Darren Caskey and Jean Black on the bench.

Ten minutes gone and Kettering had their first corner of the match after a a fairly slow start and the ball fell to Marna who blasted the ball well wide of the visitor's goal. Another corner for the Poppies and this time it's a mad scramble in the box before another wayward shot goes out for a goal-kick to the Moors.