Hayes & Yeading remain without a three point maximum in 2017 despite strengthening the squad with the arrival of Wes Parker, Anthony Edgar and Lewis Putman as a late Kettering goal saw all three points travel back northwards with our visitors.
With the three new faces above in the starting XI, it was Putman who showed up earliest, his move into the box and shot being blocked away by former United defender Jack Kelly.
Kelly was again in the right place minutes later when a Tom Broadbent clearance found Mitchell Weiss, he exchanged passes with Putman before also seeing his effort blocked by the Poppies defender.
On 17 minutes the visitors should really have taken the lead, Liam Bateman’s long throw-in was flicked on by Matthew Barnes-Homer to strike partner Rene Howe who from six yards out kicked air and the ball rolled nicely to Danny Boness in the United goal.
Six minutes later a Boness punch was control on the chest of Gary Mulligan who volleyed goalwards from the edge of the box only for Boness to push his shot around the post. The resultant corner caused mayhem in the United defence as Josh Chamberlain sliced the ball in the air at the near post, it came down with snow on in the six yard box, bounced up again and went over off the top of the crossbar with United strangely being awarded a goal kick.
United continued to press forwards with Putman playing a major part in first seeing a 25 yard free-kick beat the wall only to be turned wide by Poppies ‘keeper Paul White. White however could do nothing in the 37th minute when Soloman Sambou collected the ball in the middle of the park and with the outside of his foot sent Putman away in the left channel, the Slough loanee doing the rest as he slid the ball past White’s dive to open the scoring.
Weiss went close to a second just before the break but his curling effort just failed to find the top corner.
It was past the hour mark before the second half really found its feet, James Brighton almost benefitting from a poor United clearance, the Poppies midfielder screwing his shot wide of the post when well positioned to trouble Boness.
Howe then had a shot held by Boness at the foot of his post but within minutes the game was tied. A corner from the right being met in the centre by Dom Langdon who powered a header past Boness.
United were inches away from regaining the lead in the 72nd minute, Putman collected the ball in his own half following a Kettering corner, made his way past and sundry to the edge of the Poppies area, his shot going across White and agonisingly wide of the far post.
A similar strike from Putman again just missed the target before an excellent Boness save on 81 minutes kept the game level as he dived full stretch to push out a Wilson Carvalho drive from just inside the box.
Unfortunately this save was to be in vain as four minutes later United were undone by yet another corner, this time the ball being allowed to drop front and centre where Howe smashed it past Boness from close range.
Howe had a chance to really finish United off as the game moved into stoppage time but blasted the ball out of the ground but it was to no avail as the visitors took the three points.
Apologies to Kettering’s players if the wrong man is credited throughout this report, but black number’s on blue shirts really are a reporters nightmare!!
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Ray Peploe.
United Man of the Match: Lewis Putman.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
