DUNSTABLE TOWN 1 - 2 KETTERING TOWN

IN BRIEF:

The Poppies won the game, somewhat unconvincingly as Matty Stevens’ goals in the 45th and 71st minutes were enough to deny a gallant and combative Dunstable side. The home team gained a penalty in the 52nd minute- converted by Arel Amu – their only effort on target in the 90 minutes.

THE KETTERING SQUAD:

Changes were rung in light of the game schedule in the next three weeks. Ben Toseland was rested completely;Gary Mulligan and Rhys Hoenes were amongst the substitutes. In came Liam Bateman,Tom Marshall and Rene Howe.

.Team line-ups:

DUNSTABLE TOWN:
1 Nathan Harness
2 Peter Kioso
3 Gordon Okito
4 Manu Langlais (12 Ethan Lamptey,76)
5 John Sonuga (Captain)
6 Daniel Trif
7 Ryan Young (16 Nathan Mullings,50)
8 Alex Ward
9 Arel Amu
10 Andrew Osei-Bonsu
11 Lanre Ladipo (14 Kieran Ogden,90)
Unused Substitutes:
15 Ty Ward
17 Erin Amu

Yellow Card:Kioso,4.

KETTERING TOWN:
1 Paul White
2 Kalern Thomas
12 Liam Bateman
4 Brett Solkhon (Captain)
16 Tom Marshall (10 Ben Milnes,66)
6 Orrin Pendley
7 Lindon Meikle
8 Aaron O’Connor (11 Rhys Hoenes,81)
9 Rene Howe
15 Matthew Stevens
18 Michael Richens

Unused Substitutes:
5 Gary Mulligan
14 Gary Stohrer
17 Wilson Carvalho

Yellow Card: Howe,43.

THE GAME:

The pitch was hard and bumpy and the wind was a factor favouring Kettering in the first period.

Kettering started slowly after an enforced 10 day break. Not much happened at all in the first ten minutes as the teams got used to the conditions. It was the 11th minute before anyone threatened and then Liam Bateman on the left side hit a left foot shot wide.

Kettering’s next attack down the right saw Kalern Thomas unable to deliver a good cross. Dunstable keeper,Nathan Harness, was called into action on 16 minutes as he saved from Matty Stevens. Then Aaron O’Connor set up Stevens for a shot which flew wide.

Harness made a decent save in the 24th minute as he leapt to tip over Tom Marshall’s free kick.

Rene Howe headed wide from a Lindon Meikle cross and Stevens’ 28th minute shot came off a defender and fell for Harness.

Kettering’s best chance of the half fell to Stevens on 38 minutes. Bateman’s cross found Howe on the right and his cross to the far post saw Stevens mis-kick with the goal at his mercy.

Dunstable’s first effort on goal was not until the 40th minute as Alex Ward ballooned a shot high over the bar.

Kettering took the lead right on half time. The home defence failed to clear the ball on the penalty spot and Stevens either shot straight in or got in the way of a clearance with the ball ricocheting into the net.

Half Time:

DUNSTABLE TOWN 0 - 1 KETTERING TOWN

The second half started as the first- slowly- until the 51st minute. Arel Amu went down in the penalty area under an awkward challenge from Brett Solkhon, and got up to dispatch the resulting penalty.

Kettering were slow to react and it was a full 10 minutes before a goal attempt, which saw Tom Marshall’s free kick deflected over the goal. Then Meikle crossed from the right and a scramble at the far post saw an out of sorts Aaron O’Connor poke the ball wide.

Harness made a good take from Thomas’ searching cross as Kettering struggled to find any quality and some embarrassing Referee decisions didn’t help.

Michael Richens’ left foot shot skewed wide and on 68 minutes Kettering had a chance. Stevens forced his way through on the right- but the shot was poor and wide of the right post.

Stevens made amends just three minutes later as Meikle’s corner was headed against a defender by Orrin Pendley and Stevens scored with an acrobatic over head kick from a few yards out.

Dunstable created another chance on 77 minutes as Gordon Okito’s deep cross from the left was met on the right by Peter Kioso, whose header hit the side netting.

With Dunstable pushing forward Kettering were able to find gaps at the back.Howe sent Stevens clear on goal but he made a hash of the shot. Then Howe was clear but crossed instead of shooting and the ball was cleared.

Rhys Hoenes had come on in the 81st minute and in the 90th minute was sent clear and only a great and well timed clearance by Daniel Trif prevented the shot.

Finally Meikle fired wide.

Three points gained and on the two more away games next week: Brackley on Tuesday at Sixfields and Kings Lynn on Thursday before a home game against Hitchin next Saturday.

Full Time:

DUNSTABLE TOWN 1 - 2 KETTERING TOWN

Attendance:259 (Poppies fans estimated at 150)

Poppies man of the Match: Matthew Stevens