Kettering 1 Telford 3 - Report
A Reece Styche treble made it a hat-trick and treat for The Bucks on their Halloween road trip to Northamptonshire.
Kevin Wilkin’s side rose to sixth in the Southern Premier Central and were good value for this victory, with a confident display.
Styche put the Bucks ahead in the 16th minute, and his strike partner Montel Gibson put the ball on a plate for him after good work on the right of the box; Gibson’s low pull back towards the penalty spot was rifled home by Styche, striking the ball first-time and on the move to beat Billy Johnson to his left.
Styche, bristling with confidence, then cleared the crossbar from outside of the box, before Johnson kept the lead at one with a terrific save to reach up and palm Byron Moore’s 20-yard shot over the bar.
Wilkin’s side was bubbling; however, the Bucks had their bubble burst when they allowed Tom Scott, the Poppies’ liveliest performer, to get past two players and reverse a low shot past Brandon Hall to his right from 15 yards.
That came in the 37th minute, and Styche appeared to take that as a personal affront. Within three minutes he snuck through a gap and in behind the Poppies’ defence to their right before absolutely leathering a shot between Johnson and his near post.
The hosts drew a fine save from Brandon Hall early in the second half, Leon Clarke denied by the Bucks keeper, and a couple of follow-up efforts were blocked as the Bucks threw bodies in the way.
As the game began to stretch, the Bucks started to play through the home side’s back line. In the 77th minute, Gibson accelerated onto a through ball on the right, and his low cross-shot might have been heading in, but Styche made sure by turning the ball home from a yard or two to claim the match ball.
There was a late red card for the Poppies’ Lewis White for a horror tackle on Byron Moore which the midfielder thankfully emerged unscathed from.
AFC Telford United: Hall, Myles, Fox, Piggott, Pendley, Whittall, Dinanga, Walker, Gibson, Styche (Webster 81), Moore. Subs: Hodgkiss, Jones, Forsyth, Mitford.
Scorers: Styche (16, 40, 77).
Kettering Town: Johnson, Cochrane (Toseland 72), Langmead, White, Stohrer, Reilly, Scott, Sharpe, Clarke (Mellors-Blair 80), Bennett, Lewthwaite. Subs: Shackleton (GK), Purse, Dawson.
Referee: Dan England.
Assistants: Paul McVey, Ellis Mills.
