Grimsby Town v Kettering Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 18/01/2011

EVENING senoritas, why so glum? Upset about our victory against Chasetown? You were surprised that we lost to them? See that’s your problem - you still think there’s hope. We're about to go over the top at the Somme. We're already dead.

History

Kettering had been a semi-professional outfit from their inception in 1872 till 2000-01. The club mainly plied their in the Conference and a relegation in the first year they became a professional outfit helped the club bounce straight back at the first time of asking. The club have reached Wembley twice both times in the FA Trophy and losing on both occasions. The Poppies also welcomes Gazza to the club for a very stable 8 games managing a better win % than Woods in the process.

Last Season

The club spearheaded the chasing group for a play-off spot finishing a disappointing 12 points behind York. Not unlike this year the club's main strength was their performances away from home - only Champions Stevenage won more on the road throughout the season. At home on the other hand it was a completely different story. The club had one of the worst records when it came to playing in front of their home crowd, just 6 wins in total only bettered Grays who finished rock bottom by some 18 points with 4 wins on their own patch and 5 in total.

This Season

Things don't seem to have changed much in Northamptonshire. The club have managed to collect just 8 points at home so far (1 win and 5 draws) The worst record by any club in the Conference and only 3 other teams in the top 5 divisions have the same dreadful home form Scunthorpe, Hereford and Stockport all with 1 win a piece. While away from their sweet abode the club, have collected 20 points with 6 wins and 2 draws. Unlike last season the club's home form isn't doing enough to keep them in the top half. Just 6 points off relegation and a negative goal difference the team are 16th and struggling to find any sort of form at present with just 1 win in 9 in all competitions and also had the fortune to lose to lowly Chasetown in the FA Trophy. How rubbish must they be?

Key Player: Jean-Paul Marina

With the tenacious Moses Ashikodi struggling through injury the job of goal scoring has fallen to Jean-Paul Marina. He’s either from Senegal or France both Kettering’s official site and Soccerbase can't make up their mind, Wikipedia say’s he’s from Hemel Hempstead. Either way the striker is a former player of Paris Saint Germain the number 10 has been the clubs main goal threat from the start of the season and though he has being going through a rather extended dry spell of just 2 goals in 13 matches he has 9 goals to his name so far and is continuing to impress.

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