Match Preview | Kettering Town (A)
Halesowen travel to Northamptonshire to play Kettering Town in a huge 5th v 6th play-off battle for our final away game of the season
Head to Head
This is largely a bogey fixture for the Yeltz, as we have only won ONE of the last seven games between the two sides this century. The one win coming on the opening day of last season at The Grove. Another damming stat is that we have only scored twice in our last three at Latimer Park, something we may have to match or better to claim a win this Saturday.
The last meeting between the two came in December, when the Poppies came to The Grove four points behind the Yeltz. In an afternoon where Santa joined us at The Grove we certainly weren’t in the festive mood when the away side took the lead before half-time. A 42nd minute corner was hit out to Andi Thanoj on the edge of the box, whose chip to the back post saw a shot cleared off the line, before a Levi Andoh scuffed finish made it’s way into the net. We managed to find our way back into the game, late but no too late. On 67 minutes Kyle Finn was brought down just inside the area, which allowed Jason Cowley to score his 15th league goal of the season, and four out of four from the penalty spot to get us the equaliser. The Yeltz were the ones who pushed for a winner, which unfortunately never came.
Opposition Preview
Paul White – Goalkeeper
The 31 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Rushall Olympic. The former Cork City academy man featured 39 times in the National League North last season. This season, White has featured 13 times for the Poppies, which has included 12 consecutive appearances since March 3rd.
Blaine Rowe – Left Back
The 24 year old signed in November from Stourbridge. The Coventry City academy man featured 17 times in the league for then step 4 Hednesford, as well as 18 league appearances for Stourbridge. The left back made 11 league appearances for the Glassboys earlier this campaign, and since arriving in Northamptonshire has played in 26 league games for the Poppies, all of which starts.
George Forsyth – Centre Back
The 29 year old signed in the summer from Banbury United. The former Yeltz man featured eight times in the league for Bromsgrove Sporting at the start of last season, before completing the season with the Puritans where he made 27 league appearances. The centre half, who can also play in the midfield has made 31 league appearances this season for Kettering, all but two of which in the XI.
Ben Isaacson – Centre Back
The 21 year old signed in December from step 2 Bedford Town. The centre half made 24 league appearances for AFC Sudbury for the majority of last season, before ending the season with seven league appearances for Stamford AFC. This season, Isaacson made 11 NL North appearances, before the move to the Poppies where he has played 19 league games, all but one of which in the XI.
Carl Mensah – Centre Back
The 30 year old signed last month on loan from Bedford. The centre half scored three goals in 33 league appearances during their title winning campaign last season. This season, Mensah scored twice in 13 NL North games for Bedford, before making the short term move to Kettering where he has featured in all nine of their league games since his arrival, all of which starts.
Harvey Peters – Centre Back
The 21 year old signed last month from Sudbury. The centre half made 30 league appearances for step 4 Wroxham last season, before making a late season move to step 4 Brentwood Town. where he played four league games. This season, Peters made 24 league appearances for step 4 Lowestoft Town, before a short 10 league spell at Sudbury. Since arriving at Kettering, Peters has played five league games, all of which starts.
Levi Andoh – Right Back
The 26 year old signed in the summer from step 1 York City. The right back made a combined 22 appearances in the NL North & South for Darlington, Truro City & Hereford. This season, Andoh left York after two months to join the Poppies, where he has since scored against the Yeltz (in the meeting in December) in his four goals in his 21 league appearances, 17 of which in the starting XI.
Preston Bitemo – Central Midfielder
The 20 year old signed in January on loan from Hereford. The midfielder made a combined 10 NL North appearances for Hereford since the start of last season, and since joining the Poppies has scored four times in 23 league games, 18 of which in the starting XI.
Ismael Fatadjo – Central Midfielder
The 25 year old signed in the summer from Leiston. The midfielder made 34 league appearances for the Blues last season. The Portuguese born has played for four Portuguese sides in his career, and this season has scored three goals in 33 league appearances for the Poppies, 28 of which in the starting XI.
Alfie Lewis – Central Midfielder
The 26 year old signed in the summer from step 3 Aveley. The midfielder made 18 NL South appearances for the Essex side last season. The former West Ham United academy man, who also lists Plymouth Argyle & Dundalk amongst his former sides has made 36 league appearances this season, more than any other Kettering player, 31 of which in the starting XI.
Andi Thanoj – Central Midfielder
The 33 year old signed in the summer of 24 from step 6 Coalville Town. The midfielder made 31 league appearances last season for the Poppies, and has made 36 this season, 27 of which in the starting XI.
Will Van Lier – Central Midfielder
The 21 year old signed in February on loan from step 2 King’s Lynn Town. The midfielder made 39 NL North appearances for Peterborough Sports last season, and made a combined 15 this campaign for Leamington & King’s Lynn. The former Peterborough United academy man has featured 12 times for the Poppies since arriving almost eight weeks ago, eight of which in the starting XI.
Lewis Coyle – Attacking Midfielder
The 31 year old singed initially on loan from Bedford in November, before it was made permanent last month. The attacking midfielder scored five goals in 41 NL North games last season for Oxford City. This season, Coyle made 12 NL North appearances for Bedford, before his move to Kettering where he has made 23 league appearances, all but one of which in the XI.
Kai Fifield – Attacking Midfielder
The 22 year old signed in the summer of 24 from St Ives Town. The attacking midfielder, known for having a trial at Barcelona when he was 7, scored five goals in 26 league appearances last season for the Poppies. This season, Fifield spent a short six league game spell on loan at Quorn late last year, and scored twice in 32 league games for Kettering, only eight of which in the XI.
Kai Williams – Left Winger
The 29 year old signed in October from step 3 Worksop Town. The winger scored once in 20 National League games for Tamworth last season. The former Coventry academy man made five NL North appearances across Hereford & Worksop this campaign, before his arrival at Kettering where he has scored five goals in 21 league games, 10 of which in the starting XI.
Nathan Jeche – Striker
The 20 year old signed in January from step 5 Whitstable Town. The young striker made one NL North appearance at Hemel Hempstead last season, before moving to step 5 Snodland Town, where he scored four goals in four league games. The former QPR academy man then scored three goals in 20 league games for step 3 Cray Wanderers, before moving to Whitstable late last season where he scored seven goals in nine league games. This season, he scored three goals in seven league appearances for the latter, before his move to Kettering where he has scored three times in 13 league appearances, two of which in the XI.
Ed Panter – Striker
The 22 year old signed in November from Bedford. The striker scored three goals in 13 league games for then step 3 Biggleswade Town last season, before finishing the season at Bedford, and scoring five goals in 22 appearances during their run to the step 3 title. This season, Panter failed to score in 17 NL North games for the latter this season, but since arriving at the Poppies, has scored an incredible 17 goals in 22 league appearances.
Wes York – Right Winger
The 32 year old signed in the summer of 24 from Coalville Town. The winger/midfielder scored five goals in 34 league appearances last season for the Poppies. The former Wrexham, Gateshead & York man has scored twice in 35 league appearances this season, 13 of which in the starting XI.
Statistical Insight
Kettering
- Only Harborough Town (45) & Real Bedford (43) have won more points in 2026 in the Southern Premier Central than Kettering’s 36.
- Only us (32) & Spalding United (28) have scored more second half goals at home this season in the Southern Premier Central than Kettering’s 25.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded fewer second half goals at home than Kettering’s 8.
- Only Harborough Town (8) have dropped fewer points from winning positions this season in the Southern Premier Central than Kettering’s 9.
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (60) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 49.
- Only Spalding United (18) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time than our 17.
- Only Spalding United (31) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 20.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 15.