KETTERING TOWN 0-1 RUGBY TOWN: match report by THE MOWDOG...

Rugby Cement Vital Victory At Wind-Affected Latimer Park

Kettering Town 0-1 Rugby Town

This match, badly affected by a pudding-like pitch and a strong, swirling cross-wind, making it seem like the effects of a festive meal on an unsuspecting reveller, was won late by Rugby, a victory they probably deserved for their more effective approach for many sections of the proceedings. Kettering, stuttering, pottering and skittering, failed to impress for virtually the whole game and despite the presence of their returning strikers, ex-Rugby Man David Kolodynski and Elliott Sandy, their offensive play was generally inaccurate. Too often both teams struck long balls, which were usually affected badly by the wind, rather than pass the ball short and keep possession for a while, although to be fair, that approach wasn’t easy on such a poor surface. True, Tommy Hull, later dismissed, struck the visitors’ crossbar, Sandy tested guest ‘keeper Rich Morris and Kolodynski saw a late shot kicked clear, but Rugby struck more shots, with home goalie Jamie McAlindon saving one well from Justin Marsden. Midfielder Sam Youngs had tested the home custodian a couple of times then rapped the late goal which sent his fans into raptures. Both teams employed tall forwards but neither team was able to deliver crosses onto those players’ heads. And to cap it all, Rugby fielded one Robbie Burns… You simply couldn’t make it up.

Figureheads in the face of the gale...

An early drive by Burns, wide of the right upright signalled a brighter opening by the guests than by the hosts, the tottering Kettering, battling to shake off the festive period. Lewis McBride decided to test the greasiness of the surface by scattering Kettering’s Claudio Hoban’s tottering legs and splattering them across the touchline to earn a caution. Dubi Ogbonna’s left-side free-kick took a nasty wind-aided curve towards the near post and visiting ‘keeper Rich Morris was called into evasive action to fist the ball aside, like he was playing volleyball with a particularly light ball on a particularly windy North Cornish beach. The second phase of that attack was busy but the wind was not exactly guttering, fettering Kettering’s aspirations. Morris then plunged from goal to catch Ogbonna’s low left-flank centre, following a short run but then the lively Rugby forwards won a 24 yard free-kick at inside-right. Surely left-back Craig Kelly would curl a left-booter towards the left upright and test McAlindon… Er, no, he actually struck a low, straight drive straight at a grateful defender’s legs.

Elliott Sandy traps the ball on the centre-spot, to prevent a comical kick-off...

Youngs tested McAlindon from distance, before Justin Marsden, looking speedy and making thoughtful runs, speared a low cross-shot from the right side of the penalty-box, which McAlindon did really well to turn away for a corner, which was cleared to the lively McBride but the winger’s wayward shot drifted over the nice sky-blue banners attached by visiting fans near the base of a grassy knoll, at the Weetabix End. A real Tony the Tiger effort. The only other moment of note in the half, apart from Brett Solkhon’s apparent caution, was another Ogbonna corner, which caused Morris difficulty, but as usually happens when a ‘keeper looks distraught, the referee spotted pushing and Rugby survived.

A really untidy, inaccurate half, wrecked further by a misbehaving wind had been tough to endure by fans of both teams, wintering, chuntering and bantering on a blustering January afternoon. The wind had blown my hair into a rare quiff and so, with the evacuation of the end which was apparently once decorated by a line of trees (bet the neighbours were really pleased when they were removed…) by the Poppies’ fans to invade the sheds at the Weetabix End, I decided to cross onto the far side of the pitch, where all the chaps to my left were wearing flat caps and I thought the Peaky Blinders had followed me here from Birmingham; I was more than a little disturbed… At least the wind de-quiffed me, although the Peaky Blinder to my left was well over six feet tall and managing my camera was a challenge.

Banners adorn the grassy knoll...

The business side...

Connor McEnroe (surely his family MUST be tennis fans: Connors/McEnroe???) replaced Rugby’s ailing left-back Kelly at the break, was then instantly cautioned for a foul, but there was little improvement in the activities on the pitch. Eventually, Elliott Sandy, although out of his sick-bed, probably wearing his pyjamas beneath his kit, piled a drive at Morris, which the ‘keeper batted down, like he was kneading some industrial dough at the local bakery, before smart work by Hoban led to a sweeping shot by the ever-so-combative Tommy Hull, which bounced off the crossbar. The often silent crowd of 872 suddenly believed that Kettering were spluttering into action at last and some people shouted encouragement but Hull was cautioned and after Mitch Piggon, who I last saw playing for Coleshill Town earlier this season, was fouled, Burns rapped a free-kick too high for Rugby. Sometimes the action was so dire that one could understand William Webb Ellis picking up a football and running with it in 1823. 

Hull slid into another, rather unwise challenge and the official brandished a second yellow card, instigating a red one too and the midfielder accepted his fate with surprising good grace, probably glad to be leaving the engagement which was becoming as dull as Christmas on the BBC. Ogbonna delivered a really bad corner, probably due to the inclement wind but then chased back and defended well for his misfiring team. Koodynski was becoming more and more frustrated but Sandy and Hoban were replaced, for the introduction of the Andys, Gooding and Hall, neither of whom would be able to affect the course of the game. Ogbonna was cautioned and a Rugby free-kick from 25 yards by Youngs, aimed at the left upright, curled with the wind, well wide of that post. Again, I wondered whether McAlindon would have been tested by a shot towards the other post, accounting for the angry cross-wind, but it wasn’t my call.

Another Andy, Watts, replaced Ogbonna, who was voted tottering Kettering’s Most Valuable Player, probably because of several runs he had made and also that fine, commendable defensive tackle; a bowl of Scooby-Doos for him then. Poppy Jason Lee was then guilty of some slack defending on the left, as the hosts attempted to sustain possession but when the ball was snaffled by Rugby, Youngs wasted his shot and the tall midfielder’s effort soared off target. With Kettering’s attacks causing Morris little real worry, merely grabbing at odd loose balls and the occasional inaccurate centre, it must have been a real bind for the hosts to concede a late goal to their very committed guests. The ball was switched to eager, overlapping Rugby right-back Will Grocutt and his low centre from the byeline was met first-time by Youngs around the penalty-spot, James Jepson fell and the ball flew past McAlindon like it was propelled by Frank Whittle’s experimental jet engine and the ball snapped, crackled and popped into the left side of the net.

0-1 and Rugby look rather chuffed...

Kolodynski looked positively distraught but almost equalised when he found himself on the left side of the penalty-box but his shot, although evading the advancing Morris was hacked clear by a defender and so the visitors hugged lots at the final whistle and waved their Cheerios, as you do… Their central defenders, skipper Alex Gudger and Mason Rowley had been formidable and although the squad was short on numbers, due to injuries, the sheer hard work displayed was enough to beat a timid Kettering, floundering on the pudding like thin brandy sauce. Wilting, out of kilter, the hosts had offered little in the way of offensive threat on the poor surface, in the damaging wind, but in truth, the two sets of strikers had been poorly served by midfielders who found passing and creativity really tough on the day.

The Weetabix factory is built on the site of a mill, once a water-mill, more recently a steam mill but faltering Kettering failed to get up enough steam on the dull, dank, dark 1st January, after which I strolled, chilled in body, but warm in heart, to my car for the 60 miles drive home and sausages, mash and onion gravy. More wind to come, then. Oh, and my regular bowl of Weetabix. Whilst driving, I pondered the name of one of the linesmen- Rob Banks… I liked that. And why doesn’t Rugby revert to its romantic-sounding original name: Roche Berie? Or even the name of the Roman site nearby, namely Tripontium, the place of three bridges? I could just imagine the scoreline: Kettering 0 Roche Berie Tripontium 1. Now that is so cool…

Teams: 

Kettering Town:  Jamie McAlindon, James Clifton, Steve Kinniburgh (Capt); Tommy Hull, Brett Solkhon, Jason Lee; Dubi Ogbonna, James Jepson, David Kolodynski, Elliott Sandy, Claudio Hoban.

Subs: Andy Gooding, Andy Hall, Jon Bukasa, Andy Watts, Nathan Marsh.

Rugby Town:  Rich Morris, Will Grocutt, Craig Kelly; Mason Rowley, Alex Gudger (Capt), Robbie Burns; Lewis McBride, Rich Blythe, Mitch Piggon, Justin Marsden, Sam Youngs.

Subs: Connor McEnroe, Danny Pritchard.