11 Sep Match Report: Bromsgrove Sporting 1 – 2 Poppies
IN BRIEF:
The Poppies recorded their first league win of the season today at Bromsgrove Sporting. It was a very hard fought game after the visitors took a two goal lead through Ty Lewthwaite’s 8th minute opener and Kelvin Langmead’s low shot six minutes later. The rest of the game saw Kettering largely subdue efforts from the home team, who did finally find the net in the 9th minute of 8 minutes added time at the end of the game through substitute Kieron Berry.
THE KETTERING SQUAD:
Back into the team came Lewis White after suspension with Kai O’Keefe dropping to the bench where he was joined by Will Mellors-Blair and Ben Toseland.
THE TEAMS:
BROMSGROVE SPORTING FC
1 Oliver Taylor
2 Aksum White (12 Callum King-Harmes,75
3 Billy Shaw
4 Jack Newell (14 Kieron Berry,53)
5 Aaron Roberts
6 Michael McGrath
7 Vladimiro Granjal Martins Pais (16 Tui Macedo Sanches,66)
8 Keanu Cooper
9 Prince Henry
10 Conor Tee
11 Luke Rowe (Captain)
Unused substitutes:
15 David Solademi
17 Goodluck Eke
Yellow Cards:
McGrath,36; Roberts,47.
KETTERING TOWN:
1 Josh Blunkell
2 Owen Cochrane
4 Harry Reilly (20 O’Shane Stewart,82)
5 Kelvin Langmead
6 Lewis White
9 Tyron Lewthwaite (20 Will Mellors-Blair,65)
10 Josiah Bridgeman
11 Rhys Sharpe (Captain)
12 Dan Jarvis
15 Huw Dawson
16 Luca Purse (3 Ben Toseland,62)
Unused Substitutes:
7 Kai O’Keefe
14 Gedeon Okito
Yellow Cards:
White,56; Purse,59; Jarvis,90+10
HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED:
It was sweltering at the Victoria Ground and the pitch, aided by a sprinkling system, was in great condition.
Sporting had brought in new players this week following a change of Chairman and new Directors and on the pitch an early home corner was handled by an attacker, relieving pressure on the visiting defence.
For Kettering, Ty Lewthwaite had an incisive run down the left and his low cross was cleared by ex Kettering player and, now, Sporting Manager, Michael McGrath.
Bromsgrove, playing down the slope, forced three corners- all of which were well defended.
On 8 minutes and out of the blue, Kettering scored. Some lax defending allowed Lewthwaite to race clear and compose himself for a great finish past the helpless Olly Taylor.
Six minutes later it was 2-0. A corner on Kettering’s left was taken short and crossed – only to be recycled from the left to Kelvin Langmead at the far post. His header was cleared back to him and his low shot was true and past a host of bodies into the net.
The very next minute saw Lewthwaite burst clear on goal yet again, but the Referee’s whistle sounded for an infringement which no one else saw.
Kettering were in control at this stage and a long throw into the penalty area was cleared to Harry Reilly, but the shot was high over the bar. A sensible drinks break followed.
Sporting began to get their act together and Prince Henry’s run down the right saw his shot skew well wide. Sporting’s left back, Billy Shaw, was making some incisive runs causing some worry for Kettering. He won a couple of corners, but to no positive effect as the visiting defence was solid.
On 36 minutes, McGrath was just wide with an effort when meeting a free kick in the six yard box. The Referee, however, issued a caution presumably for handball. Jack Newell followed this up a couple of minutes later with a shot high and wide.
As the game approached half time, there was a flurry of activity. Conor Tee’s 25 yard shot was parried away by visiting keeper, Josh Blunkell. Then Harry Reilly tried an ambitious shot from the halfway line which had Taylor scrambling- but the effort was just wide.
Finally a good run by Miro Pais saw his shot well pushed away by Blunkell and at the other end Owen Cochrane’s cross from the right was just a little too hard and high and evaded the Poppies’ attackers.
Half Time:
BROMSGROVE SPORTING 0 – 2 KETTERING TOWN
No changes at half time saw the same 22 players doing battle in the heat, which was intensifying.
Kettering had slipped into ‘managing the game mode’ before the break and this was the tactic in the second period – conceding space and getting men behind the ball.
So there was going to be plenty of action in the Kettering half and a few bitten down finger nails in the stands and terraces!
Henry miscued an early shot wide and a cross from the right came off Luca Purse and either hit Blunkell or the post- but it was a let off for Kettering.
Tee had another go from 25 yards- again over the bar and Blunkell saved a Luke Rowe flick on goal.
For Kettering, Lewthwaite still was causing problems and, getting into the penalty area on the right, could just not get the ball into the six yard box.
Another sensible drinks break followed and Kettering continued to try to take the sting out of the game. A good Poppies move on 75 minutes saw Rhys Sharpe’s low shot taken by Taylor.
Blunkell had been largely untroubled but on 80 minutes he got down to save a low shot, spilled it, and Henry saw his follow up shot blocked out.
Another Tee effort, this time a free kick, cannoned off the solid wall and Kettering broke to see Dan Jarvis’ shot very well saved by Taylor.
The game entered 8 minutes of added time, Sporting threw men forward. Two minutes into added time an effort cannoned off the Kettering bar disturbing the netting and somehow Lewis White hooked the ball clear. The Assistant was in line and declined loud shouts for a goal.
White blocked another dangerous shot and Tee teed off again with a shot out of the ground.
As the clock racked up 9 minutes of added time Bromsgrove scored with a shot from 10 yards from substitute Kieron Berry.
A nervous last minute of so saw Kettering hang on for their first win since February 4th !
BROMSGROVE SPORTING 1 – 2 KETTERING TOWN
Match Officials: Referee: Thomas Staten; Assistants: Thomas Nicklin and Jonathan Price
Attendance: 774 (Kettering fans and Officials estimated at 100 with great vocal support again)
Poppies Media Elgoods Brewery Man of the Match: Josh Blunkell
Match Report by Sadman KTFC.
Forthcoming Home games:
Tuesday September 12th: Needham Market at 7.45pm
Saturday September 16th: Sporting Khalsa at 3pm (Emirates F A Cup 2nd Preliminary Round)
Tuesday September 26th: Hitchin Town at 7.45pm
Saturday September 30th: AFC Telford United at 3pm
Forthcoming Away games:
Saturday September 23rd at Long Eaton United at 3pm