Knitters frustrated as points slip away

ON THE face of it, a Boxing Day point at Kettering represents a good return, and one most fans would have settled for prior to the game, but United were left ruing that it should have been all three on the balance of play. The Knitters were much the better side against a lethargic home outfit, but they failed to make the most of the numerous chances they created in the first half. Bad luck and good, albeit desperate, defending denied Hinckley the first half lead they deserved and that failure to capitalise on their first half dominance meant they were grateful for a late goal to rescue a point. After a 16-day lay-off United were quickly into their stride as they had Kettering under the cosh for the majority of the first half. Andy Brown and Marc McGregor were lively up front - time and again their clever interplay opened up a ponderous home defence. McGregor had an early effort ruled out for handball and Kettering had three remarkable escapes as a hat-trick of goal-line clearances denied Hinckley. Brown's pass sent McGregor racing into the area and his well struck shot beat keeper Gary Hateley but James Gould stopped the ball on the line before the game's major talking point in the 20th minute - a Pedro Mendes moment. Brown took advantage of Hateley's moment of hesitation to beat the keeper to a ball on the edge of the area and his well judged lob looked a certain goal. Craig McIlwain hooked the ball clear, even though it looked well over the line, but the referee's assistant was behind the play and allowed the game to continue as the Kettering fans acknowledged their good fortune. McGregor limped off midway through the first half, but his replacement, Jermaine Palmer, was also left frustrated by a goal-line clearance, his deflected shot hacked away by Wayne Diuk and you wondered if it was not to be Hinckley's day. To their credit, they carried on where they left off at the start of the second half and finally made the breakthrough five minutes after the interval. Dougie Wade, who enjoyed an outstanding game, let rip from 25 yards forcing Hateley into a full-stretch save. But from Neil Cartwright's corner Richard Lavery powered home his header at the near post. That goal served to rouse Kettering from their slumber and they began to pose a threat and after Brett Solkhon headed wide from close range, they levelled on 65 minutes. Liam Nicell delivered an inviting cross from the left and Solkhon made no mistake this time, heading home from 10 yards. If the equaliser was scarcely deserved, then Kettering rubbed salt in the wounds by going ahead 10 minutes from time and of course, it had to be former Knitter Matt Lewis who scored. Lewis had made a quiet Kettering debut but he was there when it counted as United failed to clear a Gould free kick in their area and seized on the loose ball, firing home from close range. For a few moments it looked as though The Knitters would leave empty-handed, but they rallied and grabbed themselves some reward late on. Once again Wade was prominent, he found some space on the right flank and delivered a low ball across the six yard box that reached Palmer who stabbed the ball home on the far post. Dean Thomas said after the game: "I thought we were the better side for long periods, especially in the first half when we were on top and had three cleared off the line, but we couldn't kill them off. "The strikers played well and the service to them was good before half time. But a couple of lapses at the back cost us dear again and that's something we've got to improve upon. "I'm disappointed we didn't get all three points, but pleased we got something at the end when we might have ended with nothing. It was a good performance and I couldn't fault their efforts today, we looked fresh, the midfield was strong today."