Kettering boss delighted by late FA Cup triumph

Richard Lavery was appointed in February following the likes of Derek Dougan, Ron Atkinson and Paul Gascoigne as Kettering boss

Kettering Town boss Richard Lavery praised Isiah Noel-Williams for putting a bad miss behind him as the midfielder's late goal earned them a place them into the first round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2011.

Noel-Williams struck in added time to give the Poppies a 2-1 win over Farsley Celtic in their final qualifying round tie.

The match had to be played at Guiseley FC because Farsley are having work down on their own pitch.

"He missed a gilt-edged chance in the first half but he's made up for it by scoring the winner. I'm so please for Isiah, he's worked so hard and got in great areas. He deserved his goal," Lavery told BBC Radio Northampton.

Noel-Williams was not the only Kettering player guilty of poor finishing in the first half when Wes York's cross, which found it way into the net, was all they had to show for their efforts.

"The game should have been to bed at half-time. We created so much and it should have been 3, 4, 5 (nil) in the first half," added Lavery.

"At 1-0 they've always got a chance and it just shows that one mistake (can cost you), they scored to make it one all and game on."

Kettering reached the fourth round as recently as the 2008-09 season, with Lincoln City and Notts County among their victims before finally losing to Fulham.

And the following season, they held Leeds United to a draw in a second-round tie before being on the receiving end of a 5-1 defeat at Elland Road.

Since their first-round loss to Sutton United in 2011, though, they have endured relegations, administration, changes of ground and the rescinding of a winding-up order which saved them from extinction.

They were relegated to the seventh tier of English football in 2023 but there is now a mood of optimism around with co-owner George Akhtar declaring an ambition last month to take them into the EFL.

Kettering - whose team included former Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger -bounced back from an FA Trophy defeat at home to Gainsborough Trinity seven days earlier to see off Farsley from tier six.

"FA Cup, days like this, it's what you're in it (football) for, it makes it all worthwhile," Lavery said.

"I've put a good team together here, it was a blip last week, but it was a blip for a reason. All the fans that were moaning last week, this showed why I rested a couple of players."

Despite the victory, he said the team's focus would be trying to improve their current fifth place the Southern League Premier Division Central table before turning their attention back to the FA Cup.

They have an away game against Bromsgrove Sporting next and Lavery added: "I'll keep my feet on the floor, it's down to league action now and we need three points on Tuesday. We want to stay in the mix (in the league) as well."