Match Preview | Kettering Town (H)
The Yeltz look for a swift return to the top five with the first of two festive home games in December starting with the visit of Kettering
Head to Head
The Yeltz have only won one of the last six games between the two sides this century, the last meeting at The Grove. The most recent meeting came at the rescheduled game at Latimer Park in February, a 0-0 draw. The Poppies dominated the opening stages of the contest and went closest through former player now at Spalding United, Ben Hart, whose dangerous cross in the 26th minute was cleared by Hickman before two minutes later he his a shot into the side netting. Our best chances came in the 41st minute, as a Donnelly effort was smashed off the bar, before a cross was cleared off the line the then Kettering and now Yeltz man Alex Gudger. It took 18 minutes in the second half for the first effort on goal, a Butterfield header which went over the bar. The Yeltz forced former Poppies keeper Dan Jezeph into a lot of work in the late stages of the game, which included an 83rd minute reflex save from a sumptuous Donnelly header. Four minutes later though Kettering should have snatched all three points. Former Kettering man Isiah Noel-Williams nicked the ball from a Yeltz throw-in and brought the ball forward for Wes York to slam the post, a shot which Platt got the slightest of touches on to divert it onto the woodwork.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“We come into today after a good win during the week, having had a slow start to the first half. There were a couple of rockets at half-time because I wanted to make sure we came out more professional against a Wolverhampton City side who played very well and took the game to us as well as any side from lower down in the divisions do. The second half was controlled from us, and eventually we were able with the help of the bench to get the win over the line. Kettering come to town today after a much needed win last weekend, but it doesn’t matter whether it’s Bishop’s Stortford, Kettering, Harborough at home, everyone raises their game in front of our crowd. We just have to make sure we raise our’s and start games well, because we are finishing games well. I want us to prepare right and be aggressive from the off today. Like I say every game, I want situations managed better because we are at the mid-way point of the season now where everyone knows their ambitions and need to reflect that by adding as many points as possible. We need to take the game to Kettering, and if we do I think it will be a really good game.“
Russ Penn on the form of Fin Holmes who has 2 goals and 3 assists in his last 3 games.
“He’s been a fantastic signing for us. We saw the signs of him last season on loan. Fin is only young and has a lot of potential in this game. He’s an aggressive player, with and without the ball, and very direct. He has confidence at the moment, and sometimes in football that is all you need. We want to make him better, and he’s showing that already game by game this season. We have with the squad we have, been able to rest certain players recently, and get others topped up, and Fin is one of those who has benefited from managed minutes.”
Russ Penn on Todd Parker’s chances of playing against Kettering.
“No, no, no, he won’t be back in time. It’s a funny situation where you can’t rush these things. It’ll be right when it’s right, so here’s hoping for the game at Sudbury or here against Leiston, he’s back.”
Opposition Preview
Jason Alexander – Goalkeeper
The 37 year old re-joined in the summer and was a much needed replacement for the outgoing Dan Jezeph who had started 40 league games last season. Jason, after a spell at the club from September 2024 to March this year had a spell at Matlock Town at the end of last season. The shot-stopper made one league appearance for the Poppies at the start of last season, and an FA start against League Two Doncaster Rovers, before making two appearances for fellow then step 3 side Matlock. Alexander has started in all but one of the sides 19 league games this campaign, having missed the opening day 4-3 win at Royston Town.
Paul White – Goalkeeper
The 31 year old Irishman re-joined the Poppies in the summer having had an almost four year spell at the club from 2016 – 2020. The shotstopper started in 39 National League North games for relegated Rushall Olympic last season, but hasn’t played in the league for the Poppies since the opening day.
Levi Andoh – Right Back
The 25 year old Dutch born fullback who can also play at centre half and deep in the midfield signed in the summer from York City. The versatile defender featured on loan at Truro City in the National League South and Hereford in the National League North last season, featuring five times and 12 times respectively. Andoh has made 11 league appearances this season for Kettering, starting nine.
Blaine Rowe – Right Back
The 23 year old was Liam McDonalds’s first signing at Kettering, having joined at the start of last month from Stourbridge. The former Coventry City academy man featured in 17 league games for then step 4 side Hednesford Town at the start of last season, before moving to Amblecote in February and making 18 league appearances. Rowe has started all but one of the seven league games Kettering have played since his arrival.
Will Glennon – Centre Back
The 22 year old signed in the summer from St Ives Town. The central defender made 40 appearances last season in the league across the Saints and Stamford, and scored an incredible 11 goals. The goalscoring defender has started 12 of the Poppies 19 league games this season, but has not featured in their last four league matches.
Theo Robinson – Centre Back
The 20 year old signed on loan from League Two Notts County two weeks ago, and made two league appearances on loan at step 5 1874 Northwich last season. The Welshman and former Nottingham Forest academy man has started two league appearances since arrival in Northamptonshire.
Shane Flynn – Left Back
The 24 year old signed in the summer from Irish first division side Ballymena United, having never played in a senior match in the UK. The Irishman and former Leicester City academy player made five appearances for Ballymena last season, and has made 10 league appearances for Kettering this season, starting eight.
Preston Bitemo – Central Midfielder
The 20 year old joined the Poppies at the start of last month on loan from Hereford until the start of January. The young midfielder made five league appearance for Hereford last season, and at the start of this season, and started four of his five league appearance for Kettering, scoring the once away against Quorn.
Ismael Fatadjo – Central Midfielder
The 25 year old from Guinea Bissau joined in the summer from Leiston where he featured in 34 league games last season. Fatadjo who started his senior football career at fifth tier Portuguese side SC Beira-Mar has featured in 12 league games for Kettering this season, starting all but one and scoring twice.
Kai Fifield – Central Midfielder
The 22 year known for a trial at Barcelona when he was 7, scored five goals in 26 league appearances for the Poppies last season, and featured in 13 this season, nine off the bench, scoring once. Fifield had a brief loan spell at Quorn over six weeks and scored three times in six appearances, and even came off the bench against us in October.
George Forsyth – Central Midfielder
The 29 year old who has had 10 different clubs joined in the summer from Banbury United where he made 27 league appearances last season, all of which starts. The ex-Yeltz versatile midfielder who played 40 games for us across 2016 and 2020-22, has featured in all but two of the Poppies league games this season, starting all but one.
Alfie Lewis – Central Midfielder
The 25 year old who can play across the whole of the midfield joined from fellow step 3 side Aveley in the summer. The former West Ham United academy player scored once in 18 league appearances in the National League South for the Essex side last season, and has scored twice in 15 league appearances for Kettering this season.
Andi Thanoj – Central Midfielder
The 32 year old Albanian made 31 appearances last season for the Poppies in the league, starting all but one. The former Redditch United man has featured in all but one of their league games this season, starting all but two of them.
James Clifton – Right Midfielder
The 34 year old right sided midfielder who can also play right back and at centre half signed on loan from Spalding United at the start of last month for an initial month. The versatile player scored four times in two league games on loan at Bedford Town around Christmas last season, alongside his eight goals in 20 league showing for the Tulips. Clifton made the 11 league appearances for them at the start of this season, scoring three times, and has since played in four league games for the Poppies, and scored his first goal in the game last weekend against Stourbridge.
Callum Powell – Left Midfielder
The 29 year old featured for step 2 Braintree Town at the start of last season scoring one goal in 16 league games, before moving to Kettering two days before Christmas. The left sided forward/midfielder featured for the Poppies four times in the league at the end of last season, scoring once. This season Powell has scored three goals in 13 league showings.
Lewis Coyle – Attacking Midfielder
The 31 year old is the third player currently on loan at the club, having joined from National League North Bedford Town at the start of last month. The attacking midfielder scored five goals in 41 step 2 appearances for Oxford City last season, but failed to find the net in his 12 for Bedford at the start of this campaign. Coyle has started five games for the Poppies since arrival, but is yet to score.
Ryan Monga – Attacking Midfielder
The 20 year old joined the Poppies at the start of last month, and has previously played for Nuneaton Town. The young attacking midfielder who can also play out wide has featured twice in the league this season for Kettering, both substitute appearances.
Wes York – Right Winger
The 32 year old scored five goals in 34 league appearances for the Poppies last season. The winger who can also play up top is the only Kettering player who has featured in all 19 league games this season. York has started seven of them and scored once.
Harrison Iwunze – Striker
The 20 year old striker joined on loan from Notts County, just like Theo Robinson, just over two weeks back. The young forward is playing his first season in non-league, and has come off the bench three times for the Poppies so far this league campaign since arrival.
Eddie Oppong – Striker
The 20 year old Italian/Ghanian joined in the summer from step 5 Belper United. Oppong spent time on loan at then step 3 side Mickleover and has previously spent time in the Middlesborough academy. The striker has missed just one league games this season, and scored once.
Ed Panter – Striker
The 22 year old is their most recent signing have joined from Bedford Town just over a week ago. The striker scored three goals in 13 league showings for then Southern Premier Central side Biggleswade Town, before moving to Bedford and scoring five goals in 22 league appearances, which included a brace against us just after Christmas last year. Panter made 17 National League North appearances for Bedford this season, without scoring and but scored on his Poppies debut last weekend.
Kai Williams – Left Winger
The 28 year old signed at the end of October and scored once in 20 National League appearances for Tamworth last season. The left sided winger/midfielder joined Hereford in the summer, but made the one league appearance, before joining fellow step 2 side Worksop Town and playing in four league games. The former Barwell and Stratford Town man has scored twice for the Poppies in his four league games so far this campaign.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Banbury United (18) & Spalding United (17) have scored more first half goals in the Southern Premier Central this season than our 14.
- No other side in the league have scored more second half goals at home this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 17.
- Only Spalding United (13) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 10.
- Only Banbury United & Harborough Town (21) have used fewer players in the Southern Premier Central this season than our 22.
Kettering
- Only Spalding United (28) and us & Harborough (20) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than Kettering’s 17.
- Only Real Bedford & Spalding United (2) have conceded fewer goals in the Southern Premier Central this season than Kettering’s three.
- Only Spalding United (13) & Quorn (12) have picked up more points from losing positions this season in the Southern Premier Central than Kettering’s 10.
- No other side in the league have had more goalscorers this season in the Southern Premier Central than Kettering’s 16.