A Sunday see saw cup encounter saw Kettering u18s lose on penalty strokes to Loughborough Town.

Kettering started the stronger and despite having James Hogg green carded after 5 minutes went on to dominate the early exchanges. Finn Smith had a great 1v1 chance with the impressive home keeper and Wallace Cairns, Hogg, Tom Storey and Harry Tanser all went close. The visitors however opened the scoring with virtually their first chance when a short corner was deflected in. Adam Mills then saw green but it was the visitors who equalised when Harry Tanser scored from a rebound short corner.
Four minutes into the second half Loughborough took the lead again from another corner. Cairns had a couple of good chances but it was Tanser who equalised again before Cairns gave the visitors the lead. The lead was short lived as Loughborough equalised virtually straight away. The final ten minutes saw Kettering the most likely to get the winner but the game ended at 3-3 and we went to strokes.
Loughborough's captain managed to miss their first attempt and Kettering were handed the initiative. Tanser and Storey managed to score as did the next two hosts but Hogg missed for Kettering. The next Loughborough player scores, as did Josh Cox, 3-3. The next Loughborough player missed but sadly Adam Mills saw his stroke go wide to send the game to sudden death. The hosts scored as did Tanser. The hosts scored again but Tom Storey saw his flick saved.
The game was a great advert for the standard of u18 hockey and a credit to coaches and all parents who were (socially distanced) watching
Kettering now drop into Tier 3 of the competition.