United remain unbeaten after a 1-1 draw at Kettering. The U's came back from a goal behind for the second time in two games but couldn't find a winner despite the home side being reduced to ten men.

There was a change of shape to a 4-2-3-1, with Matt Green, Adam Murray and Alfie Potter joining Jack Midson up front at first and it was the men in white who had the first opening after four minutes, and a good one at that as Kev Sandwith headed an Adam Murray corner back across goal but Matt Green could only volley wide of the mark from a tight angle.

United started fairly well and were perhaps shading possession, but on twelve minutes were behind as the Poppies popped in the opener.

A ball down the left channel gave Adam Chapman and Ryan Clarke a problem because it was neither long enough to reach the keeper or close enough for Chapman to deal with. Marna, fresh from two goals in the opening game for Kettering, was alert to it and nipped in to touch the ball away from both of them, and was brought down as Clarke stretched to try and stop him getting past. Ref Fletcher had no doubt and pointed to the spot, and Marna did the rest by rolling the ball into the opposite corner as Clarke dived left.

Some teams might have buckled, but United are strong characters and on twenty minutes were level with a superbly worked free kick. Green did exceptionally well to earn a free kick near the left corner flag which Adam Murray trotted over to take. Everyone in the ground expected him to swing the ball in high, but instead he rolled a low pass right across the box for Sandwith, making a run across the back line to sidefoot home from twelve yards. Murray has that little bit of vision to create goals like that and will be a key man as the season unfolds.

The goal set United up for a dominant few minutes with Sandwith smashing a free kick wide on 25 minutes and then Creighton nodding the resulting corner over the top.

Former Lincoln striker Francis Green mishit a shot across the face of Clarke's goal on 37 and then forced Clarke into a fine save on 40 with a deft flick which Clarke clawed round the post, and a draw at the break was probably fair comment.

The second half started with two great efforts, one at either end. First Damien Spencer bustled away but placed his shot too wide as he opted to go across Clarke. Then United should have been 2-1 up as a flowing move ended with a Murray backheel and a Sandwith cross which Clist headed powerfully at goal, only for Lee Harper to push over the bar. It was one of those 'a yard either side and it's a goal' moments, but with both sides going for the win it was enjoyable stuff to watch.

Potter lost his bearings with the goal gaping on the hour as Harper spilled a cross, Kettering peppered the area with crosses and Geoghan's customary long throws, and with strong challenges and bookings all over the season really had started in earnest. A red card was coming though as challenges grew sterner, and on 67 it was Spencer who made his mark.  Creighton was first to the ball but Spencer was, frankly, late and caught the centre half, just as he had caught Foster earlier to pick up a yellow card. Off he went and (as with the same game last season) tempers were flaring and Kettering were a man light.

Curiously the sending off took some of the sting out of what had been a furiously fast game until a boiling climax.. The home side were still looking for a winner but knew they couldn't commit too many men forward and that closed the open spaces up a little and made it a little more cagey but United still had one chance to come. When it did, the home keeper was equal to it to earn his side the draw.

The decisive moment came in the 89th minute as Matt Green sprinted clear and crossed low for sub Rhodes. He did everything right and shot back across where the ball had come from, but the veteran Harper somehow got enough on the ball to keep it out of the net.

A fine save to end a fine game and to deny United all three points. Fear not; if they play like this every time then there are plenty of points to come.

Att: 2,240

Away:1,018

Report by Chris Williams

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