The wait for a win continues.

Kettering travelled to St Ives really needing a win to kick start their post Christmas campaign. Unfortunately they came up just short again and are starting to learn the hard way that Div 2N is a league of fine margins where on any given day everyone can beat everyone.
Starting with a new formation to lend some defensive stability Kettering had the better of the early exchanges. Grant Carlin forcing a good save from a short corner early on. Kettering coped well with any set pieces from the hosts and the first half remained scoreless.
Playing into the wind in the second half Kettering hit the post through Wallace Cairns and then conceded what will have to go down as a Ross Mathieson own goal as he deflected the ball inside the near post. Kettering came back and fine work by Mike Crane and Pat Cawley set up youngster James Hogg for a fine finish. Unbelievably 18 seconds after the restart St Ives regained the lead when a great cross was well deflected. Kettering had a number of scrambled in the opposition D but could not force the equaliser. The home side received a number of green cards for breaking the game down and Jacques Lourens saw green late on for the visitors.
Kettering are aware that results haven’t been great but with such a young side, 6 under 17s this week, they remain a work in progress and will come back stronger next season. This weekend Kettering host Norwich Dragons in the return to what was a fiesta 2-2 draw before Christmas. With a number of the top teams to play Kettering will still play a role in determining who is promoted out of 2N and some of the bigger teams will know that Carlin’s men are capable of beating anyone on their day.