Fine Start Deteriates Rapidly

Kettering struggled to get out a full team this week ending up with 10 players and debut appearances for young George York and Ned Wilson. Despite this they started off with an inventive opening that almost got a goal in the first 10 seconds. Tim Coleby rolled the centre back to captain Nick Cusk, who deftly threw the ball over the advancing Leamington midfield to Dominik Cusk, playing in the heart of the midfield for the makeshift team. His neat pull down and turn allowed him to thread the ball through the Leamington Defence for Simon Chambers to run onto in the 'D'. Unfortunately Simon was unable to collect the pass and the move came to naught.
The bright start however was soon undermined when a through ball from the Leamington midfield allowed their centre forward to turn inside his marker and fire the ball rapidly past the youthful Kettering Keeper.
Kettering however did not despair and were quickly back on the attack earning a short corner minutes later. This was firmly fired off the inside of the keepers foot, onto a defenders foot and then the post. Simon looking along the line after pushing out the short corner insisted it had in fact crossed the line but the umpires refused the goal but after a discussion did award a penalty flick for Kettering. This was safely tucked away by Simon Chambers to bring the game back level.
The next ten minutes were fiercely fought by both teams with chances going at either end before a short corner was awarded to Leamington. A one - two from the top of the 'D', sneakily kicked over to another forward resulted in a contentious second goal for Leamington. The rest of the half continued to be closely contested with neither side able to find an opening.
Unfortunately for Kettering the second half did not prove so tight, they started poorly and soon found themselves a further two goals down. However they did fight back earning two quick short corners, the first smartly slotted into the corner by Nick Cusk. Unfortunately the repeat attempt a few minutes later was a whisker past the same post.
This proved the final resistance from the 10 men (and boys) of Kettering as Leamington managed to romp home with a further five goals scored against the tiring legs of a hard working team. A valiant effort ultimately insufficient to stem the tide of defeats.