Kettering ponder ground options after FA Cup win

Kettering Town may look to try and increase the capacity of their ground after being given a home tie against Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the FA Cup.

The Poppies won 2-1 after extra time at League One neighbours Northampton Town to reach round two for the first time since 2010 and earn £45,000 from the competition prize fund.

Latimer Park, the Southern League Premier Central club's home for the past 11 years, has a capacity of just over 3,000.

"We'll have to make a few phone calls to see what we can do to make it a bit more suitable and get a few more people in there," finance director Rob McGreavey told BBC Radio Northampton.

"At the start of every season, we don't assume any sort of cup run so everything is a bonus. They money we made from the first round was incredible and this just adds more. The challenge then is what do we do with that.

"As a board we've been chatting about things we want to do around the ground since George [Akhtar] and Fabian [Forde] came on board as new owners and the money coming in means we can start to do that as soon as possible."

Kettering had to come from behind against Northampton as goals from Luca Miller and Nile Ranger secured victory at Sixfields.

The draw against League Two club Doncaster will reunite them with former manager Lee Glover, who is now a member of Grant McCann's coaching staff.

"It's not a bad draw at all. They're riding high [in their league], we're riding high, only three levels between us, it's got to be doable, hasn't it?" said Poppies vice-chairman Mick Coe.

"I've been watching us for over 50 years playing cup ties and it should be within our capabilities [to win], particularly the way we're playing at the moment.

"I don't know what kind of following they've got but I'm sure that if they don't sell their tickets, we'll be able to sell them for them."

Kettering will earn £75,000 if they can cause another upset and reach round three, the stage at which Premier League and Championship clubs enter the competition.

But even a defeat would mean a £20,000 payout, significant money for a club in the seventh tier of English football.

"Birmingham [City] away for the money would have been excellent, but I'm pleased to have a home tie, get them [Doncaster] here and have to deal with this pitch," added McGreavey.

"We made a really good atmosphere at the Cobblers but here, the capacity's around 3,000 so hopefully it will be a full house and they'll find it hard to come here and have to deal with it."

The FA Cup second-round ties will take place from 29 November to 2 December.