WADERS LOSE TO LEAGUE LEADERS

Match Report by David Whiteman

Prior to the game, league leaders Kettering had only lost one league match at home all season. Unfortunately, at the end of the game this was still the case as the Waders ultimately succumbed to the strength of the Kettering team and the heavy surface of the Latimer Park pitch. Perhaps the result was not surprising as the Waders have never won at Kettering and the last home victory (6-1 in the UCL) was at Fairfield in the 1936-37 season.

In front of a crowd of 597, the Waders held their own for the majority of the first half with much of the play being broken up by a series of fouls and stoppages. There was a scare for the Waders after 5 minutes when Rene Howe’s header was in the Waders net but the referee disallowed the goal for a push by Howe on Lucas Perry. On 10 minutes, Ben Milnes had to be stretchered off and he was replaced by former Wader, Rhys Hoenes, and it was Hoenes who crossed for Matthew Stevens to put Kettering in front after 37 minutes. This goal was, in part, due to hesitation between Liam Gooch and Gavin Hoyte, and Kettering’s second goal after 45 minutes by Aaron O’Connor was similarly due to a defensive mix-up, but this time involving Gooch and Connor Hall.

The Waders efforts on goal in the first half amounted to a couple of shots from Liam Brooks and one from Tony Burnett but nothing to really trouble Kettering’s goalkeeper Paul White. The task for the Waders became almost impossible on 49 minutes when Orrin Pendley’s left foot shot beat Gooch to make the score 3-0. To their credit, the Waders never gave up and substitute Craig Daniel headed home Greg Kaziboni’s cross on 74 minutes.

However, with England C International Lindon Meikle ever more influential in midfield, the Waders had few opportunities after their goal and it was Kettering who should have added to their tally when Howe’s penalty was well saved by Gooch. This completed a mixed afternoon for the Waders goalkeeper, who made several fine saves but was too hesitant for the first two goals.

Man of the Match: Robbie Parker – tireless performance for the Waders.