Poppies blow the Puritans away to end 100 per cent record

But it took the new Evo-Stik Southern League leaders to end United’s winning run on the road.

Kettering Town maintained their 100 per cent home record with a 3-0 victory over the Puritans in Tuesday’s premier division clash.

The Poppies had the better of the early stages but it was as the quarter of an hour mark approached that they really began to put heavy pressure on United. A free-kick pumped in the area and a couple of corners were the prelude to Kettering taking the lead in the 16th minute when a cross led to a scramble and Brett Solkhon knocked the ball home from close range.

Kettering dominated the rest of the first half. A free-kick saw Gary Mulligan head just wide and following another scramble in the area Michael Richens shot a foot wide from just eight yards.

It looked to be only a matter of time before Kettering increased their lead but United held out to keep the deficit to a single goal at the interval.

Though United were a little better in the early stages of the second half Kettering continued to have the better of the game and certainly looked more likely to increase their lead than for United to equalise.

United finally forced Paul White into making a save when George Nash’s 30 yard effort was parried away by the keeper before being cleared by a defender. But that was as good as it got for United who fell further behind in the 68th minute when a free-kick on the edge of the area was superbly struck home by the impressive Ben Milnes into the top corner of the net.

Kettering wrapped up the scoring a minute into stoppage time when Rene Howe converted a spot-kick after Rhys Hoenes had been fouled in the area.