Match Preview | Kettering Town (A)
The Yeltz return to league action on the road for the first time in over a month with a short trip across to Kettering Town
Head to Head
The Yeltz don’t have many bad records against sides at this level, but Kettering certainly fall into that rare category. We have won just one of the last eight meetings with the Poppies, and that came at home in August 2024. We are also winless in our four games at Latimer Park, failing to score in the last two, but on the other hand not conceding.
Opposition Overview
Manager (s)
Nick Green & David Bridgewater
The pair were appointed as joint-managers in August, following the departure of former Yeltz player Liam McDonald. Both Green (41) & Bridgewater (46) were part of McDonald’s backroom team dating back all the way to 2013 spanning across six different clubs, before splitting to take over his role at Kettering.
Goalkeepers
Jay Alexander
The 38 year old re-joined in the summer of 2025. The shot-stopper previously played for the Poppies from September 2024 – March 2025, and started 26 of their league games last season. Alexander has made just the one start this season, against Stamford on 31st August.
Paul White
The 31 year old signed in the summer of 2025 from recently relegated from step 2 Rushall Olympic. The former Cork City academy man featured 39 times in the National League North in 24/25 campaign, before making 15 appearances for the Poppies last season. White has started all but one of their league games this season.
Defenders
Tai Fleming
The 24 year old signed in the summer from step 2 King’s Lynn Town. The former Norwich City academy defender made 33 appearances in the National League North last season, and scored once. He has scored three goals and started all nine league games for the Poppies this season.
Ryan Haynes
The 31 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Brackley Town. The defender with over 250 EFL appearances to his name, played 17 times in the National League for Brackley last season before their relegation. He has featured in all nine of Kettering’s league games this season, all but one of which in the XI.
Tom Leak
The 25 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Chester. The former Walsall academy defender who made 12 League Two appearances for the latter earlier in his career, played 33 times in the NL North last season on route to Chester’s play-off campaign. He has featured in all but one of Kettering’s league games this season, all eight of which in the XI.
Harvey Peters
The 21 year old signed in March from AFC Sudbury. The centre half made 24 league appearances for step 4 Lowestoft Town in the first part of last season, before a short 10 league spell at Sudbury, and finishing with seven league games at the Poppies. He has started all nine league games for the Poppies this season.
Aaron Powell
The 23 year old signed in the summer from Peterborough Sports. The former Peterborough United academy defender, previously spent time at Kettering on loan from the former in the 24/25 season, and was the only player to feature in all 42 of their league games in that campaign. He has featured three times in the league this season, one of which in the XI.
Blaine Rowe
The 24 year old signed in November 2025 from Stourbridge. The Coventry City academy fullback made 11 league appearances for the Glassboys earlier last season, before finishing the campaign with 28 league appearances for the Poppies. He has featured in six of their league games this season, half of which in the XI.
Midfielders
Bayley Brown
The 29 year old signed in the summer from fellow step 3 Enfield Town. The defensive midfielder made 34 National League South appearances for Enfield, before their relegation. He has scored twice and featured in all but one of Kettering’s league games this season, half of those eight in the XI.
Lewis Coyle
The 32 year old signed in March from step 2 Bedford Town, having been on loan at the Poppies for the four months prior. The attacking midfielder scored five goals in 41 NL North games for Oxford City in the 24/25 season, and made 12 for Bedford last season, before making 24 league appearances for the majority of the campaign for the Poppies. He has featured twice this season, one of which in the XI.
Lawson D’Ath
The 33 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Hereford. The central/wide midfielder scored twice in 32 NL North games last season for the Bulls, before ending his 28 month stay in Herefordshire. He has featured in all but one of the Poppies league games this season, and all but one of those eight in the XI.
Ismael Fatadjo
The 26 year old signed in the summer of 2025 from Leiston. The Portuguese born midfielder made 35 league appearances last season for the Poppies, having made 34 the season prior for Leiston. He has featured in all of Kettering’s league games this season, seven of which in the XI.
Mason Jarvis
The 16 year old has come up through the Poppies academy and made his first team senior debut in their most recent league game against Anstey Nomads on 29th September.
Jack Newell
The 25 year old signed in the summer from Bromsgrove Sporting. The midfielder made 35 league appearances for the Rouslers last season, and ended his near four year spell at Bromsgrove to make the move to Northamptonshire. He has started all nine league games for the Poppies this season.
Forwards
Theo Alexandrou
The 21 year old signed in the summer from step 4 St Ives Town. The winger who has spent time at step with Welling United & Dorking Wanderers, scored six goals in 33 league appearances for the relegated Saints last season. He has featured in all nine of Kettering’s league games this season, all but one in the XI.
Shaun Jeffers
The 34 year old signed in the summer from Bedford Town. The striker who can also play out wide, featured five times at the start of last season in the NL South for Farnborough, before making 25 in the North across Bedford & Peterborough Sports. He has scored twice and featured in seven of Kettering’s league games this season, two of which in the XI.
Ed Panter
The 22 year old signed in November 2025 from Bedford Town. The striker scored eight goals in 33 league appearances across Biggleswade Town & Bedford in the 24/25 season. He finished as Kettering’s top scorer last season, scoring 18 goals in 24 league games. He has scored four goals and featured in eight of their league games this season, all of which in the XI.
Match Information
All the relevant match information is available on our website. This includes:
🎟️ Tickets/Match Admission
🚌 Coach Departure
🥤 Refreshments
🔓 Turnstiles
📖 Matchday Programme
🔗 https://ht-fc.co.uk/match-information-kettering-town-a/