Kettering Town vs. Leigh RMI preview

By Matt Lawton
January 3 2007

Saturday afternoon sees newly-crowned Conference North Manager of the Month Stuart Humphreys face his next big challenge as RMI boss when he takes his side to high-flying Kettering.

Although RMI began the New Year with an impressive 2-0 home victory over play-off challenging Workington, a trip to Kettering, the only full-time side in the division, is arguably the most testing game of the season.

Last season's meeting at Rockingham Road proved to be a dark day as they fell to a thumping 4-0 defeat at the hands of a Kettering side on the crest of a Paul Gascoigne wave. The former England midfielder left Kettering almost as quickly as he arrived, but the Poppies are still riding high in the Conference North in fifth position.

Although they began January with a 2-0 defeat at fellow promotion challengers Worcester, Kettering have been particularly impressive in the cup competitions having disposed of Conference side Stafford in the FA Trophy after a resounding 10-1 home victory over Clitheroe in the previous round. Kettering drew national praise earlier in the season when they were narrowly defeated 4-3 by League One high-fliers Oldham Athletic in the First Round of the FA Cup in front of nearly 3,500 fans at Rockingham Road, with that particular defeat being the second of only three home defeats so far this season.

RMI can count themselves unlucky not to have gained at least a point from the side's last meeting when an injury time Rene Howe goal stole a 2-1 Kettering victory after RMI had played some superb football in the first half after taking the lead through Steve Settle just six minutes in to the encounter, and Stuart Humphreys young side will undoubtedly draw a huge amount of confidence from their current nine match unbeaten run.

The match is a 3pm kick off on Saturday 6th December, with the 137 mile journey to the ground achievable via the M1.