Kettering 2-2 Norwich Dragons

Kettering gained their first point on the road in a game that turned quite ugly as Dragons strong arm tactics tried to wrestle the game from their ball playing visitors. The first 35 minutes gave no real indication of what was to come as the home side spread the ball around whilst Kettering were content to create the better chances. Kettering had a good chance to go ahead when Pat Cawley was put through but a smart block by the host keeper maintained parity. Norwich opened the scoring when a harshly awarded short corner was well worked to give an easy goal. Kettering equalised when their own short corner was blasted home by Jacques Lourens.
The second half started with Kettering in the ascendancy and they were rewarded when influential skipper Grant Carlin scored from a short corner. Visiting sweeper Ross Mathieson was then flattened in the D gaining the attacking player a green card that could easily have been yellow on another day. Lourens was then temporarily suspended for debating a decision. Norwich scrambled an equaliser when a through ball uncharacteristically caught out keeper Barry Coe leading to an easy deflection. As the clock ran down Cawley was scythed down from behind getting the tackler a ten minute yellow and as the hosts lost the plot their midfielder, yellow carded for a crude ‘tackle’ on Andy Sellers continued the verbals an lightly laid hands on the umpire thus upgrading him to a red card. A very unsavoury end to a game that promised more in the first half. Kettering remain a place above Dragons in the table.
Next week leaders Cambridge Nomads visit Kettering in what looks on paper to be a tough game.