Kettering can’t Bury St Edmunds

Kettering travelled to Bury St Edmunds to face the joint leaders of Div 2N in an optimistic frame of mind. Already secure in mid table Kettering had little to lose and after a 3-3 draw in the first round game Bury knew this was a potential banana skin fixture.
The hosts were out of the blocks quickly but it was Kettering who forced the first opening when the Bury keeper was called upon to make a triple save. The hosts however broke the deadlock with a well taken drag flick and doubled their lead when Ross Mathieson could only deflect the ball home. Grant Carlin and Lewis Pywell both had good chances to get the visitors on the score board but were unable to convert. Half time 2-0.
Kettering played a high pressing style in the second half and made Bury turn the ball over higher up the pitch and were rewarded when Carlin converted a short corner. Kettering sensed they were back in the game but cheered on by what for Div 2N is a large home crowd the hosts pulled away again when Kettering had a lapse in concentration and left a forward with an easy chance. Immediately Kettering got one back when the influential Carlin lobbed the keeper. In the final two minutes Paul Donnelly was adjudged to have played the ball with his body and the penalty stroke was duly converted.
The cheers at the end by the hosts indicated they knew they had been in a battle against one of the trickier sides in Div 2.

Kettering can be pleased with their first half season at this level as their young team continues to develop and the future looks bright. Although not completely out of the promotion hunt Kettering will need to string an impressive run of results together after Christmas although they have the majority of games at fortress Bishop Stopford.

Bury's brief review of the game can be found HERE