Poppies hold title-chasers
Kettering Town produced another fine away-day as they made it advantage Stevenage Borough in the race for the Blue Square Premier title.
James Dance grabbed Kettering a 1-1 draw after former Poppy Francis Green had given title-chasing Oxford United the lead.
For a game featuring two of the top five sides in the Blue Square Premier, the opening stages were awful with neither team able to take a firm grip on things.
Jack Midson just failed to get a touch on Green's menacing cross while at the other end Kwesi Appiah fired just wide after Oxford had failed to clear a free-kick.
But a nervy home crowd were celebrating on 36 minutes when Green ran on to Lewis Chalmers' ball and coolly clipped the ball over Nathan Abbey.
Their joy was only shortlived, however, as the Poppies hit back three minutes before half-time.
Marcus Kelly floated in a corner and James Dance rose higher than anyone else to place his header into the top corner.
Both managers made early substitutions after the break but the second period started much like the first with both sides lacking quality when they were in possession.
There was a heart-in-the-mouth moment for the Poppies when Greg Taylor hauled down John Grant in the area but an offside flag spared Oxford a penalty and Taylor a red card.
The Poppies seemed happy with a scrappy game but the hosts were frustrated and that boiled over as U's assistant-manager Micky Lewis and Kettering boss Lee Harper exchanged words.
Marcus Kelly tested Ryan Clarke from distance but tempers flared again after Jean-Paul Marna had challenged Jake Wright. The incident earned both players a booking.
The Poppies were forced to go into stoppage-time with just 10 players as Ian Roper was injured and all the substitutes were on the pitch.
But they saw it out to hold on to another point on the road.
Oxford: Clarke; Batt, Day, Wright, Tonkin; Bulman, Chalmers, Clist (sub M Green, 52 mins); F Green, Midson (sub Grant, 52 mins), Deering. Subs not used: Creighton, Chapman, Turley.
Poppies: Abbey; Taylor, Dempster, Roper, Jennings; Wrack, Hadfield, Boucaud, Kelly; Appiah (sub Charles, 55 mins), Dance (sub Marna 71 mins). Subs not used: Thelwell, Noubissie, Thomas.
Referee: R Merchant
Goals: F Green (36 mins, 1-0), Dance (42 mins, 1-1),
Bookings: Taylor (deliberate handball), Hadfield, Dempster, Roper (all fouls).
Attendance: 5,836 (away fans 244)
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Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
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