[Chief Rum]

September 10, 2002

Tommy Ridgely: Welcome, Poppy fans, to a dry cool evening of football here at the Lawn in Forest Green. Your Poppies of Kettering will try to keep up the run of good form they have displayed in their previous matches by going against the Forest Green Rovers tonight.

The Poppies have seemingly rebounded from a bad start to the season by winning two matches in a row, including a well-played road win over the Woking Cardinals on August 31, smacking them 3-1.

The difference seems to be the TNT crew that manager Matthew Kieta brought in on loan to score for this bunch. I'm speaking of new strikers Chris Thompson and Ryan Trudgian, who each have two goals int he two matches they have played. Thompson from Grimsby Town has amazed with his nose for the net, and Trudgian from Plymouth has been one hard worker, playing tall in the box.

But a road match is never an easy thing in the Conference, so this should be another fight for the Poppies. The Rovers have lost three in a row, but they have looked good in spots, and can be very dangerous. The man to keep an eye on? Nigerian striker Kayode Odejayi! He's fast and he can finish, and in any league that makes him lethal. He has two goals in the first four games, including the difference in Forest Green's only win, a 1-0 count over Morecambe in the Conference season opener last month.

Ian Bowling gets another start in the net tonight. Lee Howarth gets the night off--nothing to worry, folks, just time for him to sit, says Mr. Kieta--so Craig Norman is in the middle of a three-centreback line. He is flanked by Martin Matthews, in his first action of the season, and Brett Solkhon, who has been so impressive early on here. Scott Goodwin returns on the left wing after sitting out the Woking match, and Wayne Diuk moves to the right, as Niall Inman will have the night off as well. Davy Williamson gets the nod in the middle, where he will paired with first time starter Mark Cartlidge. At the critical forward midfield spot, the versatile Shaun Murray returns to the pitch. He missed the Woking match after a minor training injury resulted in a cut to his leg. It is all healed, though. Murray's return allows Mr. Kieta to rest Trudgian, so he does. Congo-man Carlin Itonga will start up front, where he is paired with the exciting Thompson.

That is your starting lineup, Poppy fans, and the action is about to begin, so let's get to it...

14th minute

...Matthew Russell has it under pressure and it moves back to Langan across the midline...but Langan misplays it and it goes by! And Itonga is on it! He's got it and is racing down the wing! Langan on his heels...Itonga turns and fires a great pass to Murray in the middle...Wow, Murray is open...he's charging into the box. Jones and Russell closing...To the left, and he fires! GOOOOAAALLLLLLLLL! Murray with the vicious high kick! It blasts past Steve Perrin for the first goal of the game! Russell and Jones almost closed him down, but Murray had the angel, and he just shot it right over Perrin and into the top of the net! 1-0, Poppies! On Murray's first goal of the season...

27th minute

...Duik with a short toss in to Williamson...Williamson moves it up to Thompson...Thompson being crowded near the midline...he sends it forward...OH! Itonga has a step! And Thompson found Itonga! It's just Itonga and Perrin...Itonga into the box...kicked high...GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL! The Poppies score again, on a miserable defensive breakdown by the Rovers! Itonga simply slipped in behind Russell and Jones, and he had the whole pitch in front of him! A brilliant pass by Thompson to find him, too! As for Perrin, he just misplayed it...he guarded the open night to the left, but left just enough near corner for Itonga to hit it high...And Itonga has scored his first goal ever as a Poppy...

35th minute

...Langan with the high toss in to Russell...OH! But Murray squeezes in and beats him in the air! He moves it up far to Itonga! Itonga has the step on Jones again! He's been beating him all day. He centers it to Thomspon...to Willaimson...nice tackle Foster...but it's to Murray and he's into the box...shoots...a brilliant save by Perrin! The ball bounds to the goal line...but Itonga's going to get to it first! He fires...into the side netting! No goal! It would have been tough from that angle anyway....back to the save...an absolutely brilliant one by Perrin...he moves out on Murray, but Murray gets the shoit off before he can close...he stays in front solid and knocks the ball off to the side...Of course, Itonga almost caught him watching his own handiwork...Rovers with the goalkick...

38th minute

...Russell with the freekick from his own pitch...he lofts a long one up there, this will fall close to the box...Solkhon with the nice header back into the middle of the pitch...Jones reaches it before Norman...sends a sharp pass down toward the left line...but Duik is there and he lifts it forward into the Rovers' side of the pitch...Thompson and Itonnga are racing to the ball, with company...but Thomspon gets there, and he's into the box...the shot...GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! Thompson with the floater over a flailing Perrin, who came forward a little too far! The Poppies now hold a commanding 3-0 lead! Once again, Perrin is burned by his own defense...Russell was with Thompson the whole way until he fell off near the end. If he stays on him, that's not an easy shot for Thompson...as it was, Perrin was Poppy-fodder...

45th minute

...McLaughlin with a long toss toward the box...Grayson and Norman jump...and Norman with the nice header clear out...well, that's clear into Rover territory...and again! Thompson is on it! Foster is on his heels...but itonga is free int he box...Thompson blasts the pass...Itonga...OH! Off Perrin...race to the ball...no, Perrin has it. So close for the striker from the Congo! Thompson put that cross right on Itonga's foot, but Perrin was ready for the rebound, sending it off left...then he beat Itonga to it to stop the play...So close...the Poppies almost went into the half up four...

Halftime

...Kettering is blasting Forest Green! They have the 3-0 lead on the Rovers, with big goals by Murray and Itonga, their first of the season. And, Thompson, oh Thompson! If this is what we can expect for him, I'll pay his transfer fees myself, I think! He scores his third goal of his young young Poppy career, in less than three matches...The Poppies' defense is spot on right now...they haven't let the Rovers even get a shot off on Bowling, but Steve Perrin is breaking a sweat on the other side, defending against eight shots...

63rd minute

...Jenkins collects the ball near the left wing line and sends a long shot into the action...Grayson and Norman up with it...Grayson gets it, but he sends it to Foster...but Matthews intercepts it and blasts it right!....at McLoughlin! The kick! Bowling leaps out and bats it away left! Solkhon to it first, and he sends it away long...Nice play by Matthews, but what on Earth was he thinking to hit it cross like that...Good thing, Bowling was awake...

81st minute

...Langan to Russell on the toss...but Murray gets int he way and it's to Goodwin...he sends it forward long...Thompson might have it in the circle...no, it bounds past him...a misplay by Thompson...Jenkins reaches it...he turns...and he sends it long toward the box...Grayson and Norman again...Grayson with the header...OH! A nice save by Bowling, as he turns it away for the corner...No, it's an offside! Grayson was too far foward after all...Nice save by Bowling all the same...

Full Time

...What can I say, everyone? If you have been paying attentiuon you know what has happened. The Poppies appear to be ona roll and playing as fine a game of football as I have yet sene from them in recent seasons. Well played, Poppies, as Kettering takes the big road match 3-0 over Forest Green...