Harborough taken to market by Kettering

An early start for KM2s against Market Harborough second team at home resulted in a flattering score line for the hosts against a team that consistently worked hard in spite of the result.
Kettering’s first goal came within the first passage of play with Oliver Smith scoring from a quickly-won short corner to show his serious intent at winning top goal-scorer this season. The start of this game was exactly what Kettering sought to do after analysis of the previous two pre-season friendlies: keep possession, make the opposition play our game and assert dominance early on. A second goal came via way of George York, playing his first game of the season and slotting one of what will hopefully be many home in this season from a few yards out: a Yorkie classic. Unfortunately poor defensive play from Kettering allowed a melee in the 'D' and Harborough managed to score an avoidable and sloppy goal that put the score at 2 - 1. KM2s didn't let this get to them, though, and kept pushing on - creating chance after chance and even playing some spectacular one-touch hockey at times. Fitness guru Richard Payne managed to take a leaf out of York's book and deflected a brilliant cross into the goal after a lovely passage of play to make the score 3 - 1 at half time.
Despite being ahead by 2, Kettering felt that they could've been 5 or 6 ahead if not for many a wasted chance; and so the second half began...
Kettering continued their dominance from the first half by scoring several more - Smith scoring two and York one more, the latter of Smith's coming straight from an exceptionally defended Harborough short-corner and a series of a few passes that sliced through the high-pressing opposition beautifully leaving Smith to complete his hat-trick. Another goal from Kettering came from Mark Hawkins left the score at 8 - 1. KM2s playing civilized and progressive hockey wasn't the biggest shock of the game though: a short corner that was stopped by a Harborough foot on the goal-line led to the first penalty flick given to KM2s for 2 seasons. Adam Duell stepped up to the spot (despite Michael Lavender being desperate to take it) after prophetically practicing a couple in the warm-up and calmly, collectedly, coolly...hit the post...
It'd be rude not to mention the Kettering defence , more specifically Archie Colwill - who kept a Harborough forward twice his size comfortably in his pocket - much to the annoyance of the forward and the delight of Kettering.
A good haul of goals and confident, occasionally swaggering play from KM2s bodes well for the first match in the new league against Cop 6 next week.