[Chief Rum]

July 19, 2002

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Poppy Victory Comes at a Price

KETTERING-- A grievous injury overshadowed an otherwise thrilling night for the Poppies of Kettering.

Irish winger Niall Inman, 24, broke his right leg late in the first half of the Poppies' 1-0 victory over Division Two side Peterborough United at Rockingham Road Thursday night. Inman is epxected to be out until at least January.

"This is a tough blow for Niall, and for the team," new Kettering manager Matthew Kieta told reporters after the match. "It was a very painful injury for him, and we need to be there to support him and get him back to us as soon as he can safely return."

The injury was just one of those freak occurrences that happen often in football. In the 38th minute, Peterborough winger David Farrell was coming up the left side of the pitch with the ball when Inman attempted to close down on him. Inman attempted a slide tackle, but one of his cleats caught in the turf, breaking his leg with his forward momentum. Midfielder Mark Cartlidge replaced Inman, who had to be carried off on a cart in obvious agony.

Cartlidge, as it turns out, would play a key role in the tight defensive match. In the 70th minute, he intercepted a pass from Posh defensive midfielder Dennis Pearce near the midway point of the left flank. He passed forward to a streaking Shaun Murray, who split two defenders to the left corner of the box. Posh keeper Mark Tyler attempted to advance onto Mouuary, but the veteran forward lofted a volley over Tyler's head and into the net for the lone score of the match.

The Posh pushed forward aggressively all game, but only managed five shots on the net, manned ably by the Poppies' reserve keepers William Gourlay and Simon Ward, who combined for the shutout.

The Poppies used a variety of heady defensive play and some questionable tactics to keep the Posh off-center, limiting Peterborough's chances despite spending almost the entire match defending their own end.

Peterborough United, a Division Two side, is conventionally considered to be far more talented than the Conference-bound Poppies.

After the match, Kieta said he had no idea yet how he would replace Inman, but he allowed that Cartlidge would likely get first shot at the right winger's spot.

Poppy Notes

Gourlay and Ward are competing for the backup keeper spot behind incumbent starter Ian Bowling. Gourlay, playing behind a mostly first team defense, faced just one shot in the first half of the Peterborough United match. Ward had to be much more active, facing off four shots in the second half, including one on goal.

Kieta said the two were neck-and-neck at the moment in the competition, and that he didn't expect to make his final choice until just before the season starts.

Bowling got the night off after shutting out AFC Bournemouth on Monday in Kettering's first friendly. The Poppies have yet to allow a goal in the preseason.

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Kieta waved off concerns about the side's offense as being "premature this early in the preseason."

The Poppies managed just two shots on the net Thursday, after taking just two against Bournemouth.

When pressed for comment, Kieta responded, "Well, two of them went in, didn't they?"

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Midfielder Stefan Dancy was allowed to play in the Peterborough match after all.

Dancy was sent off for a push in the Bournemouth match and had received a one-match ban from the Nationwide Conference Football Association. The association clarified just hours before the Peterborough match was to start that the ban applied to the regular season and not to further friendlies.

As such, Dancy will be forced to miss the Poppies' season opener against fellow Conference foe Burton Albion, to be played at the Rock on August 17.

Dancy made a late appearance in the Peterborough match, but did not distinguish himself.

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Next match: Wednesday, July 24, Vs. Notts County (Division Two) at Rockingham Road in Kettering Town. Match starts at 7:30 p.m.