Poor Team Performance

Another hot match day and another must win game for the Kettering Ladies XI. Facing Ashby this weekend in their penultimate game of the season Kettering wanted to replicate their play from the first time they played this fixture. 

Ashby however were not going to lie down and with them pushing for promotion, they were fired up from the start. 

Ashby started the game more assertively and stretched Kettering significantly meaning the home side struggled to find their own pace of play from the outset. Ashby soon took the lead as their pace upfront saw their centre forward beat a number of defenders to walk the ball into the goal. Kettering did manage to get the ball down the other end of the pitch but fortune was not in their favour today. Being 1-0 down at half time the side needed to pick themselves up and for the first 10 minutes of the second half, seemed to do so. Gaining a succession of penalty corners saw Charlie Fowle slip the ball to Toni Hustwait, whose 1st time deflection sent the ball across the face of the goal where player of the match, Sophie Reynolds was waiting. Showing excellent composure whilst surrounded by opposition player, Reynolds calmly slotted the ball away to draw level. 

This should have been the lift Kettering needed but instead it spurred Ashby to step up another gear and Kettering just could not keep up. A further four goals were conceded by Kettering before the final whistle blew which led to a disappointing end to the game.