REPORT: Quorn 0-2 Kettering Town

By James Kendrick

Quorn fell to their first league defeat in seven games with a 2-0 defeat at home to Kettering Town.

A late goal in either half consigned Ryan Beswick’s side to defeat giving new Kettering Town boss McDonald his first league win.

The result sees Quorn drop to fourth place in the Southern Premier League Central after their unbeaten run was ended.

Before the game, Quorn introduced a special guest, Doug Keist, who had been both a player and a manager for the home side, most notably being a part of Quorn’s league and cup winning side of 2000/01 before winning the County Cup with Quorn as manager in 2001.

Keist also played for visitors Kettering Town making more than 250 appearances for them during his career.

As the game fell on Remembrance Weekend, it was also Quorn’s designated Remembrance fixture with both sides observing a minute’s silence before kick off.

The first half passed by fairly uneventfully with both sides cancelling each other out and struggling to make any real chances.

There was also a stoppage in play midway through the first half when Cain Noble and Kettering keeper Jay Alexander collided in the box and the game was paused for a while so the goalkeeper could receive treatment.

Despite the uneventful first 45 minutes, it was the away side who went into the interval leading through Ismail Fatadjo. The home side were unhappy with the goal as they felt that their goalkeeper had been fouled in the build up but the goal was given.

Quorn came out better in the second half and probably just about shaded the second half but they struggled to create too many clear cut chances and get them on target.

Zak Goodson and Simeon Cobourne were Quorn’s biggest goal threats in the second half but they didn’t find the target often enough and when they did Alexander was more than a match for their efforts.

With Quorn pushing on more and more as the game wore on, looking for their elusive equaliser, that left more space for Kettering to counter attack into.

And in the 93rd minute, Jay Alexander came out and claimed a cross really well and immediately set Preston Bitemo free who had plenty of space to run into into the Quorn half and he scored with a superb finish to secure all three points for his side.

Quorn now have a free midweek for the only time this month, before they head to Banbury on Saturday looking to get back to winning ways.