[Chief Rum]

September 21, 2002

Radio Announcer Tommy Ridgely: Welcome to another great Saturday afternoon of football at Rock! Today, we have your Poppies of Kettering taking om the Bulls of Hereford.

The Poppies are looking for a little retribution after losing that close one against Doncaster last Saturday. They knew they had their chance, and they didn't make it happen, so you know where that's gotta stick in them. Expect them to come out with a passion today.

Hereford themselves have not looked so hot, with no wins on the docket since late August. But they are still a solid team with some good players. This should be an exciting one from the get-go.

The big question of the day--can the Poppies produce any goals without Thompson? No, Chris Thompson is not quite ready to return to the pitch today, although he's close. The Poppies need to come up with an answer to that one if they expect to start up a new win streak here today.

The officials are calling for the match to start so let's go to the action...

9th minute

...Baker has the ball and is ready for the goal kick...he puts some weight into it and booms it down to Clarke on the wing...Clarke is alone, he turns and centres it across the midline...Dowie and Williams converging...Williams dishes it down to Parry...Parry unleashes a shot! Wide to the right! The midfielder had no chance on that one...he was too far out, he missed it badly and Bowling is ready for him...

11th minute

...Clarke with the throw in...he tosses it over to Parry down the line...Parry is under pressure, he turns and short passes inward to Pittman...a NICE tackle by Holyoak...but Clarke gets it and moves it up to Grant...to Sawyer...Sawyer has a step in the box!...a blast! But But off of Bowling--to GRANT! No! Howarth witha beautiful save and he clears it off the pitch...The Poppies dodged one there...Bowling did well to deflect Sawyer's shot, but that one went right to Grant. If Howarth didn't sneak up behind him and boot it out, we would be looking at a deficit...

14th minute

...Grant runs with it...nice tackle by Matthews...he moves it down to Murray at the circle...Murray lofts a high one down the pitch...he has Itonga open! Teesdale is racing over...Itonga into the box...Baker tenses...a shot!...Clutched and grabbed by Baker! Ow! Itonga hit it right at him despite an open look at the net...

15th minute

...Duik with the throw in...to Inman, little pressure...a cross-pitch pass--but Teesdale steps into it and sends it mid-pitch...Matthews collects it and turns back toward the net...a nice pass by Matthews! To Trudgian near the box! He dishes it to Inman who goes to the line...Under pressure...he crosses it...Trudgian's heading...IT SCORES! GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! The Poppies get the early lead on a beautiful cross and header by Inman and Trudgian! Simply a beautiful play, Kettering fans, from matthews' impressive pass through numerous defenders to Trudgian near the box to the dish-and-return play of Inman and Trudgian to the sharp header into the net...Baker never had a chance at it!...

28th minute

...Clark has an open wing...pushign the ball done...he moves it long up toward Pittman...Pittman turns and blasts it toward the box...he has Grant all alone! Grant into the box...he shoots! Right at Bowling! Ian with the clutch! What a play by the veteran keeper and what a horrible defense by Kettering...Grant could have waltzed into the box with a hole that size...Good for us he is no good at placing it into the net...

38th minute

...Inman throws it in...Dowie takes it on...he's dancing with it in a square near the middle right wing...he splits defenders with a nice forward pass...Murray and Teesdale on it...Teesdale clears it out nicely with the header...Rose collects it on the left wing...he moves forward...then the pass forward...but Matthews intercedes and sends the ball flying over to the other side...Duik is on it...he send it forward...ma, Itonga looks wide open...but the pass sails over his head and across the touch line...

43rd minute

...Inman sends the corner near the right side of the box...Trudgian up...back to Holyoak...to Howarth! Shoots! GOAL! He scores it, and what a nice pass play by the Poppies! Oh man, just beautiful by Holyoak...Trudgian got him the ball, and he redirected it Howarth on the right side, where the Bulls were just ignoring him...he even had time to set up his shot...and he just blasts it over Baker...that's his first goal of the season...2-0 Poppies...

Halftime

...The shot tallies don't look too fearsome, with three to each side, but this one has been all Poppies so far! They have connected when it counted, and they hold the 2-0 lead at the halfway point...Kettering dominated ball possession and spent a third of the match so far in front of the Bulls' goal...Thompson who?...

49th minute

...Clarke throws it in..but it's off, Duik intercepts and lofts it forward...Pitman and Murray, it's Pitman...down to Parry...backtrack...turns and passes to Sawyer...he has a lane! Shoots! Deflected off of Bowling and across the line for a corner...a fine save by Bowling, but Sawyer could have done more with that...here's Williams with the corner...drifting near and outward...Dowie steps up and boots it to mid-pitch...nice play by the Rangers midfielder...

55th minute

...Itonga charges under the pass...he's alone and advcancing on the wing...Teesdale rushes to join him...pass to center...Trudgian--but Tretton cuts in with a nice tackle! He clears it into the pitch...Trudgian had an open shot from inside the box if he got that one...

57th minute

...Hereford with the freekick...Rose steps up and boots it toward the net...it's sailing high...too high, it's over the bar...goalkick to Kattering...

75th minute

...the Poppies have been playing much more defensive this half...here's the freekick for Hereford...Willaims is taking this one, he's at an angle to the goal...he blasts a hard low shot! OH, wide left and out of bounds! Well struck by Williams, but that rocket wasn't aimed right...and Bowling was there...

Full Time

...and the Poppies get back on track with a nice 2-0 win over the Bulls of Hereford. They fell completely into themselves int he second half and let Hereford have their way of it, but they were in control the whole way...Hereford had its best chances int he first half...they just didn't capitalize on them...so the Poppies take their fourth win in five matches and continue their strong play of late...