Full Time:

Match Report

IN A NUTSHELL:

On a bleak night at Latimer Park,the game, between two teams who wanted to play football, ended in stalemate at 3-3. Kettering won the penalty shoot out 4-2 to go through to the semi final of this competition for the second year running. THE KETTERING SQUAD:

In came Ben Stephens,Callum Westwood,Rene Howe and Ben Baker with the bench formed of Ethan Lee, Jack O’Connor, Jordan Wilson and Jamie Dean. Rested were Paul Malone,Lewis Hornby,Spencer Weir-Daley,Wilson Carvalho and James Brighton.

HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED: A quick-fire start saw two ex Poppies- Josh Moreman and Avelino Vieira combine to put the visitors in front after barely two minutes, when Vieira tapped in the cross from the left. Ben Stephens fired over and keeper Lewis Moat kept out Liam Canavan’s volley before Kettering equalised on 5 minutes. From a corner the ball was cleared and Brett Solkhon fired in the rebound with a left foot shot, giving Moat no chance. Dan Lawlor’s 7th minute free kick was headed clear and, for Kettering, Matthew Barnes-Homer saw his low shot saved. Sports took the lead on 12 minutes as a corner on the right was swept back across goal and Vieira tapped in again in the six yard box. Kettering had a chance after 23 minutes as Solkhon headed for goal-but Moat tipped over. Dean Snedker saved a Vieira shot and on 29 minutes Kettering equalised. Good work on the right saw Ben Stephens deliver the cross and Barnes-Homer scored his first goal for Kettering with a downward header. The Poppies should have taken the lead after 40 minutes as Canavan had a point blank header saved by Moat’s legs. Sports finished the half well as Vieira had a chance but his effort was cleared and finally in the half, a scramble in the Kettering six yard box saw Snedker save at close range and the ball then kicked off the line.

Half Time: Kettering Town 2 - 2 Peterborough Sports

Lawlor’s 47th minute free kick sailed over the bar and a few minutes later, Rene Howe forced his way through but also shot over. Callum Westwood, playing down the right, tried a shot which went wide and Dom Langdon’s brave header blunted any danger from another Lawlor free kick. The Poppies thought they had scored as Solkhon headed in from a corner- but the effort was disallowed. Westwood fired wide after71 minutes and three minutes later Kettering took the lead for the first time. Jordan Wilson was on for Barnes-Homer and he pounced on a loose back pass to round Moat and finish with an accurate left foot drive. Howe set up Wilson as the game entered the last 10 minutes. Sports equalized on 87 minutes with a controversial third goal for Vieira who looked well offside as he tapped in virtually on the goal line. A final Westwood effort went into orbit as the game went to penalties.

Penalties:

Kettering -Hicks scored 1-0

Sports- Sanders scored 1-1

Kettering- Wilson scored 2-1

Sports- Jones scored 2-2

Kettering-Westwood scored 3-2

Sports- Webb saved by Snedker 3-2

Kettering: Baker- hit bar 3-2

Sports: Moat – fired wide 3-2

Kettering: Solkhon scored 4-2

Full Time: Kettering Town 3 - 3 Peterborough Sports

Klondike (£30) Number 11265: Winner: Michael Bridgeman

Attendance: 101

Poppies Man of the Match: James Haran

Team line-ups: Kettering Town: 1 Dean Snedker 2 Nathan Hicks 3 Dom Langdon 4 Brett Solkhon (Captain) 5 James Haran 6 Ben Stephens (14 Jack O’Connor,61) 7 Callum Westwood 8 Matthew Barnes-Homer (15 Jordan Wilson,61) 9 Rene Howe 10 Liam Canavan (12 Ethan Lee,61) 11 Ben Baker

Subs Unused: 16 Jamie Dean

Yellow cards: None.

Peterborough Sports: 1 Lewis Moat 2 Dan Bannister 3 Dan Bucciero 4 Josh Sanders 5 Stuart Eason 6 Oliver Medwynter (12 Lewis Webb,57) 7 Dan Clements (14 David Cobb,76) 8 Dan Lawlor 9 Avelino Vieira 10 Mark Jones 11 Josh Moreman

Subs Unused: 15 Richard Jones 16 Jordan Macleod 17 Lance Potter

Yellow Cards: None