For the second time in six weeks, Kettering Town faced the long trek north to the International Stadium, the home of Gateshead F.C. Two first half goals from new boy Kwesi Appiah and old stager Darren Wrack, in his 65th appearance for the club, gave Lee Harper the tonic he needed with another fine away win.

Teams:

Gateshead (4-4-2):

13 Paul Farman
2 Craig Baxter
3 Mark Robinson
5 James Curtis (Captain)
8 Phil Turnbull
9 Graeme Armstrong
11 Wayne Phillips (55mins Brian Wake)
21 Rikki Bains
22 James Sinclair (55mins Alex Francis)
24 Darren Williams
25 Daryl Clare


Unused Substitutes:
1 Jim Provett
6 Carl Jones
17 Neale McDermott

Yellow Cards: Francis,78 mins;Curtis 90+2 mins.


Kettering Town:

31 Nathan Abbey
2 Alton Thelwell
3 James Jennings
4 Darren Wrack
5 Ian Roper (Captain) (46mins Greg Taylor)
6 John Dempster
15 Patrick Noubissie
14 James Dance
10 Jean-Paul Marna (64 mins Anthony Robinson)
11 Kwesi Appiah
22 Marcus Kelly (79 mins Danny Thomas)

Unused Substitutes:
8 Jordan Hadfield
13 Niall Cooper

Yellow cards:
None

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Lee Harper was without the injured Andre Boucaud, but Anthony Robinson was included in the squad having completed his suspension.Kwesi Appiah replaced Boucaud in a slightly changed formation.For Gateshead,Ian Bogie retained Paul Farman in goal but was without captain Kris Gate who was injured last Saturday.James Sinclair came in.


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The game kicked off in front of a small crowd and after home striker, Daryl Clare, had shot tamely at Kettering keeper, Nathan Abbey,Gateshead could have taken the lead on 2 minutes.Abbey completely fluffed a clearance to the touchline, and as he struggled to regain his ground Wayne Phillips' cross/shot dropped onto the top of the crossbar.

From this moment on in the half, Kettering took the game to Gateshead and almost completely dominated.Kwesi Appiah set up Jean-Paul Marna on 13 minutes and his neat turn allowed a clear shot from 6 yards and Farman did extremely well to save diving to his right.The first goal came after 13 minutes. Marna's pass set Kwesi Appiah clear inside the box and he finished well past Farman.

On 18 minutes a dangerous James Dance cross from the right was well collected by Farman and in the next minute, Patrick Noubissie's shot was deflected wide for a corner.Then Marna got in a shot which Farman saved, to his left.

In a rare Gateshead attack, James Sinclair blazed a shot horribly wide after a decent set up by Daryl Clare.On 33 minutes it could have been 2-0 as Marna went through on the left but he was again thwarted by Farman.

Gatehead had a five minute spell when Darren Williams shot well wide,Phil Turnbull's shot was parried by Abbey and Wayne Phillips drove the rebound wide.However as they strove to get into the game Kettering scored a second.Darren Wrack picked up a poor clearance, advanced into the area, checked right and drove an unstoppable waist high drive in off the right post.

Gateshead were stunned into action and just before the break exerted some pressure.Abbey tipped over a 20 yard Graeme Armstrong piledriver.From the corner the keeper had to dive full stretch to his left to keep out a James Curtis header and then immediately save from Phillips.From the loose ball, Phillips shot wide.


Half Time:

Gateshead 0 - 2 Kettering Town

Greg Taylor replaced a groggy Ian Roper at the start of the second half after the Poppies skipper took another head knock towards the end of the first half. Alton Thelwell went into central defence.

With Gatehead making no impression on solid away defending they made two substitutions after 55 minutes, bringing on Alex Francis and Brian Wake.

It was fully 18 minutes before any goalmouth action as a Kettering corner saw Appiah trying to force the ball in - but a free kick ensued.Kettering were not as advanced as the first half and Gateshead were having more possession without threatening at this stage.

On 65 minutes, Phil Turnbull shot wide.The a great Partrick Noubissie through ball found substitute Anthony Robinson- but he was obviously a little rusty after his enforced lay-off and his shot drifted wide.On 68 minutes Dance crossed and as Marcus Kelly shot, a defender got in a good block.

The last 20 minutes saw Gateshead finally making some impression as they drove forward to try to get in the game. The impressive Daryl Clare headed Rikki Bains' cross over the bar as he beat Abbey to the ball.Then Abbey saved well from Clare, diving left.From the resulting corner Abbey again saved well at the far post from Armstrong's header.

Clare was causing problems and in the last few minutes, only a great block from John Dempster and Clare's own error in firing wide from only 6 yards kept Kettering two goals in front.In added time substitute Alex Francis fired wide as Kettering took all three points.

For The Poppies, Nathan Abbey had a great game, there was solid defending from the back four and an accomplished look in midfield, with Patrick Noubissie outstanding on the night. Marna and Appiah worked well together up front, and more goals could have been seen in the first period.


Full Time

Gateshead 0 - 2 Kettering Town



Attendance: 401 (Poppies fans: 11)


Poppies Man of the Match: Patrick Noubissie.

(Thanks go to Paul Cooke for his up-dating during the evening as the writer froze in the main stand at Gateshead!)