Blood, sweat and tears in loss

Kettering felt as if they'd wasted their Saturday on the long way back from Horncastle. However, things started hopefully. A fantastic warm-up and the bonus of 14 players assured Kettering that they would get 3-points - if they could only do the hard-work...

Horncastle started well, having a couple of shots that were either easily saved or trickled wide. Gradually the ball became trapped in the centre of the pitch. No team was making progress. Kettering could barely string 5 passes together; there was little movement off the ball and the passes were lacklustre at best. In an unfamiliar position, Tom Storey played exceptionally well and was easily Kettering's best player. That being said, it might have been his man who poked in Horncastle's first goal at the far-post, after his team-mate had been allowed to worm his way into the 'D' and unleashed a cross. 1 - 0. The lead barely lasted a minute. In one of the few instances of good Kettering play, a series of quick, well-executed and accurate passes eventually led to Lewis Pywell slamming a reverse-stick shot past the otherwise solid Horncastle keeper. 1 - 1. That was more like it! Was a Kettering resurgence on the cards? - it certainly felt like it. In hindsight, however, perhaps Kettering should have killed the game then. Horncastle's second was a sticky one; if the striker had hit the ball as he probably meant to, the Kettering keeper would have saved it (probably). Instead, he scuffed it and it dribbled in at the far-post. Cue some four-letter words. 2 - 1 at the end of the half.

The second-half saw Kettering worsen. Passes, effort, gamesmanship, decent decision-making, basic skills - all virtually non-existant. The rare chances at goal Kettering had were either missed (Harry Tanser's shot was most recently spotted flying over Reyjavik) or saved. Michael Crane, the nicest man at KHC, was greened. Horncastle's third and final goal came from a two-on-one situation. Until then Kettering had still harboured hopes of salvaging at least a single point. Sadly not. 3 - 1. A last-minute short-corner couldn't provide Kettering with a second consolation goal. And Kettering trudged off the pitch all thinking 'how could we lose to them?'

The simple answer: we were dragged down to their level and they made us play their game. This will certainly be one of their best results all season. Kettering are looking forward to the home fixture to show them how good they can be.

MoM: Tom Storey

DoD: Andy Sellers (for having a suspicious mask in his sock)