FA Cup humiliation for abject Cobblers as Poppies secure famous Sixfields victory
Cobblers were humiliated in the first round of the FA Cup when stunned 2-1 by local rivals Kettering Town at Sixfields on Saturday.
Four divisions and 79 places separate the clubs in the pyramid but there was absolutely no evidence of that on the pitch as Kettering deservedly pulled off an FA Cup giantkilling for the ages.
The seventh-tier Poppies trailed to an unfortunate own goal at half-time but at no point did they go away and whilst their county neighbours crumbled badly under pressure, the visitors sensed an opportunity and claimed a famous win thanks to Nile Ranger’s header in the third minute of extra-time.
Kettering will rightly cherish a glorious night, maybe the best in their history, but there will be plenty of questions asked of Jon Brady and his players who were sloppy and mistake-ridden from minute one to minute 120 as the club's miserable recent FA Cup record plunged to new depths.
Brady took no liberties with his team selection and picked just about the strongest available XI, apart from in goal where Nik Tzanev replaced Lee Burge.
Liam McCarron came in for the suspended Tyler Roberts.
Kettering were backed by 1,500 vocal supporters at Sixfields and their team settled well, surviving a couple of early Town attacks before having the first shot on target when Nile Ranger’s header was held by Tzanev.
A very late flag denied Cobblers the lead on 15 minutes after Cameron McGeehan turned home Nesta Guinness-Walker’s cross but replays suggested both men were onside.
The home side were not able to take control though and they were given a big let-off midway through the first half as a mix-up between Tzanev and Guinness-Walker presented Ranger with a good chance, but his first-time shot hit the side-netting.
Kettering gave Town real problems and did not deserve to go behind when they did on 28 minutes. McCarron brought down a long ball before teeing up Fosu and his shot found the net via two deflections, the second coming off unfortunate Poppies skipper Johnson for an own goal.
Cobblers took confidence from that and had chances to extend their lead, McGeehan lifting over from the edge of the box and McCarron’s fierce shot parried by Dan Jezeph after a lovely flowing move.
McCarron was close again before half-time, denied by a goal-line block, but Town had exactly ran all over their county neighbours and it was all to play for at the break.
McCarron missed a third opportunity after the restart, blazing over after racing beyond Kettering’s defence, and a goal continued to elude him when Jezeph batted away his close-range effort.
Kettering never went away though and their endeavour was rewarded with an equaliser midway through the second half. Ben Hart delivered a fine cross and Miller, only on the pitch for a matter of moments, brilliantly headed home.
Suddenly the tie was in the balance and Brady responded by sending on Tyler Magloire, Will Hondermarck and Jack Sowerby but his side remained without a focal point up front.
Martyn Waghorn also came on for his debut but Town lost all of their composure and had absolutely no control of the game and when Akin Odimayo just failed to make contact on Hondermarck’s cross in stoppage-time, an extra 30 minutes were needed.
And incredibly it was Kettering who took a shock lead within three minutes of the restart.
The visitors won a corner on the left from which Miller delivered and Ranger rose highest to head home and send nearly 1,500 Poppies fans wild.
Cobblers were all out of ideas and produced very little quality, summed up by the fact that Jon Guthrie was sent up front in the hope of creating something to save themselves from embarrassment.
But as time ticked away, it became increasingly clear that this night would belong to Kettering and the full-time whistle sparked glorious scenes among players and fans at the away end at Sixfields, while Cobblers were booed off the pitch after a woeful performance.
Match facts
Cobblers: Tzanev, Odimayo (Eyoma 90), Baldwin, Guthrie ©, Guinness-Walker (Magloire 71), Fox, Chouchane (Sowerby 71), McGeehan, McCarron (Hondermarck 71), Pinnock, Fosu (Waghorn 84). Subs not used: Burge, Licorish-Mullings, Carroll, Dobson
Kettering: Jezeph, Hart, Powell, Kelly-Evans, Johnson ©, Thanoj (Stohrer 79), Wilson (York 89), White, Andrade (Hooper 60), Neol-Williams (Miller 60), Ranger (Sordell 97). Subs not used: Jarvis, Alexander, Mbayo, Fifield.
Referee: Elliot Bell
Attendance: 7,104
Kettering fans: 1,460