Media Watch - Kettering Town

The natural churn of the squad over the Summer months has represented a relatively manageable amount of transition as we moved up to Step 3 of the Non-League pyramid.

However, cast your mind back just three short months ago and I doubt if anyone would have been able to predict the current partnership involving Wright, Scotcher, Bauza and (excluding) Ashley Evans as anything other than perhaps an unlikely experiment? A ‘mock’ test that we may see regularly deployed in the future? Perhaps. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have forced Steve Jenkins hand earlier than he had hoped and in the first two games of the new season, there are some unfamiliar faces started together in the heart of the engine-room.

For 60 minutes against Kings Lynn they looked comfortable with Evans taking his goal superbly. But slowly the opposition and probably the very hot weather combined to put us on the back foot, we lost some of our control (or did we concede it on purpose?) and gave away too many needless free kicks. We restricted Kings Lynn to very few opportunities and they failed to take any of their limited chances. But we must be careful because better delivery from the free kicks would have caused us problems.

What has been demonstrated so far is that the Martyrs are still capable of switching tactical formations to suit the state of the game, as they become accustomed to their new surrounding’s. There a number of reasons for this. Firstly, some of the personnel have changed and they need to become used to a system built around a quick, direct passing style, so the Gaffer has made some slight adjustments in other parts of our game so it suits the qualities of the current players at his disposal, while they adjust. He possibly feels comfortable that his team now flourishes on a game based on exceptionally hard work, good movement and the principles of a total team work ethic.

Gary Stechell, Kings Lynn manager, said after the opening game last weekend “You’ve got to credit Merthyr. They squeezed the life out of us first half.”

But to understand the dynamic, one has to look behind the engine room at the rock solid defensive unit, supplemented by newcomer Rhys Baggridge who has now inter-changed with the colossus Jarrad Wright and deputized for the absent Ryan Green. Every single player has taken responsibility for their own task as directed by the coach and everyone has executed their role almost to the letter. Was it naïve for Steve Jenkins to expect Scotcher, Wright and Evans to carry out such an important task in the first game of the season? Given time it probably will improve even further from an excellent start!

Our approach when not in possession is based on a formula of being efficient, well organized, hard working and with good communication (and becomes very reliant on taking what chances the team creates!!).

Starting Scotcher, Wright and Evans together so early in the season was, even if he had little choice, another potential glimpse into the future direction of a team with an ‘all for one’ attitude.

Two more make it 15 new faces for Poppies boss Law
Northants Telegraph

Marcus Law has taken his total number of summer signings at Kettering Town to 15 after adding two more players to his squad on the eve of the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division campaign.

Former Millwall midfielder Richie Danquah and ex-Nottingham Forest full-back Jason Otadende both joined the Poppies ahead of the season curtain-raiser at Poole Town.

But there has been one departure from Latimer Park with Scott Dutton signing for Rugby Town on a dual registration.

The new arrivals come hot on the heels of the six that Law had only recently signed as goalkeeper Enol Ordonez, Richard Bryan, James Brighton, Justin Marsden, Mohammed Hamid and Courtney Baker-Richardson all joined the club.

Langdon wants more of the ‘never-say-die’ attitude from Poppies
Northants Telegraph

Summer signing Dom Langdon believes a “never-say-die” attitude will be crucial for Kettering Town this season.

The former Solihull Moors defender missed last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Poole Town due to suspension but made his competitive debut for the Poppies on Tuesday night as they earned their first point of the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division campaign with a 0-0 draw against Redditch United at Latimer Park.

A strong performance at the heart of the defence alongside Gary Mulligan ensured Langdon and the rest of the back four were able to enjoy a clean sheet. In the end, the Poppies were unfortunate not to claim all three points as they were denied a clear-cut penalty in stoppage-time while also missing a number of good chances.

But Langdon believes the way they fought to try to win it late on shows that the attitude within the squad is the right one. “We had the game at the weekend that didn’t go in our favour and we started slowly in that one but got back into it in the second half,” he said. “And I think we took that into Tuesday night. We created several chances and could have been 2-0 or 3-0 up.”

“I am glad to get the first game under my belt and to get a clean sheet at home was very pleasing. The club had a great season by getting promoted and we have kept a nucleus of those players. That has kept the positivity in the team and I think that showed on Tuesday because we were battling until the end to try to get something. It shows we have that never-say-die attitude and that’s something the gaffer has been instilling into us.”

Langdon and his team-mates are now preparing to take on Merthyr Town at Latimer Park tomorrow (Saturday). And the defender believes they can pick up another positive result if they keep the same “ethos”.

“We just need to look ahead now,” he added. “We will be back on the training ground and sorting the bits and pieces and try to take that into the game on Saturday. But if we keep that same sort of ethos that we showed towards the end on Tuesday then we will have a good chance of getting a positive result.”

Clash of the champions - Merthyr Town and Kettering Town, title winners in South and Central divisions last season, go head-to-head at Latimer Park
Wales On Line

Kettering Town are preparing a big welcome for Merthyr Town at Saturday’s EvoStik Southern League match at Latimer Park (3pm).

Marcus Law, Kettering’s manager, says: “The Martyrs have a great history in non-League football and Kettering v Merthyr is an exciting fixture. Both clubs are on a high after earning promotion to the Premier League last season and Merthyr will bring a fair number of fans with them. Merthyr play half of their season on a perfect 3G surface at their ground, but I’m sure our groundsman will agree with me that our pitch is not yet perfect.”

Kettering have earned one point from two League fixtures and have yet to score their first goal, but former Tamworth and Chasetown manager Law says: “We haven’t scored yet, but aren’t focussed on that because we are creating chances. The goals will come, while we have conceded only two goals in our last four fixtures including pre-season.”

Merthyr and Kettering clashed in the Southern League championship match last season. The Martyrs had won the South and West title, while Kettering finished top in the Central Division.

The winner was scored by Jarrad Wright after 53 minutes after a cross from Ian Traylor was headed behind for a corner on the left. Richard Evans took it, Wright headed just inside the far post and that proved the only goal.

Law took over during the summer and there have been a number of changes to their squad, while manager Steve Jenkins made only a few additions. Rhys Baggridge, Elliott Scotcher, Chris Hugh and Jaye Bowen have joined the Martyrs squad.

Merthyr are at home when they entertain Stratford Town at Penydarren Park next Tuesday (7.45pm).

Kettering Town players charged over breaking betting rules
Northants Telegraph

Two Kettering Town players have been charged with breaking FA rules on betting.

Brett Solkhon and Elliot Sandy have until Thursday, August 6, to respond to the alleged multiple breaches of FA Rule E8 in relation to betting.

A worldwide ban on betting on football came into force from August 1, 2014, for all those involved in the game at Premier League, Football League, Football Conference and Women’s Super League levels, as well as those at clubs in the the Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues.

Participants covered by the ban are prohibited from betting, either directly or indirectly, on any football match or competition that takes place anywhere in the world.

Dom Langdon! So he's with the Poppies now is he?  Decent defender at Solihull (at the next level) - and watch out when he bombs forward!

Been out on loan recently - spent most of last season with the Brakes I believe.