Kettering Ladies 2nds 2 - 5 Newark

Kettering Ladies 2nds produced their best first half performance of the season when they hosted Newark at Bishop Stopford School. The game started as an even affair with good attacking and defending from both teams. It was Newark who took the lead midway through the first half when a break down their left saw a ball pulled back from the baseline deflected in. Kettering however knew they were in the game and not long afterwards were awarded a short corner. Sue Russell injected the ball to Shez Coe who played a one two with Michelle Tanser before firing home into the far corner to equal the score. Kettering then soaked up a bit of pressure before breaking down the left with Russell feeding the ball to Kirsty Smith who drew the final defender before passing to Gracie Gault. Gault entered the D and as the keeper came out to her coolly slipped the ball to Smith who fired into the empty net. 2-1 to Kettering at the break. The second half saw Newark come out fighting. They equalised from a short corner and then took the lead after being awarded a penalty stroke. Kettering pushed forward to try and get an equaliser but in doing so left their defence exposed and conceded two more goals late on. A real positive display by Kettering in the first half and fine performance from Evie Wharf making her league debut for the 2nds and youngsters Lucie Freeman, Ola Bednarczyk and Gault. Kettering travel to Nottingham University on Saturday next week to face their 2nd team and then return up the M1 on Sunday to face Derby 1st in a rearranged game from last week which was pospond due to a frozen pitch.