Southern League Leaders Kettering Pose Major Test For Merthyr Town

Gavin Williams and his Merthyr Town team face a massive test of their promotion credentials when they travel to play Kettering Town on Saturday.

The Martyrs manager rested his entire first team squad during midweek and sent the club’s development team to Shortwood United for a BigFreeBet.Com Cup tie.

Williams and his players have focused entirely on their clash with Southern League leaders Kettering, who have won 13 of their 14 matches this season and are through to the FA Cup fourth qualifying round.

“We are in a rich vein of form, our confidence and belief is there,” says Kettering manager Marcus Law.

Merthyr have won their last three Premier Division matches and face two crunch fixtures in four days, against Kettering away (3pm) and at home against third-placed Slough Town next Tuesday (7.45pm).

Striker Stuart Fleetwood is suspended and sits out the Kettering match, while defender Curtis McDonald is fit and could return to the starting line-up.

Teenage forward Mo Touray rejoins the Merthyr squad after playing for the Wales under-19 team in friendly internationals against Switzerland in North Wales this week.

Kettering won 4-2 against Bedford Town in their BigFreeBet.com Cup match in midweek, while they play Nantwich Town away in the FA Cup in just over a week.

Merthyr are fifth in the table and Law says: “Our full focus is on Merthyr.

“When you are at the top, you are there to be shot at we know teams will be wanting to pick us off.

“Every game is a big one because we know that if we keep winning and keep picking up points then we will stay where we are.

“It’s Kettering Town and the expectation and want from everyone makes every game important for us.”

Kettering are putting on a couple of offers for fans for the match to mark ‘Non-League Day’.

The Poppies are hoping for their biggest home attendance of the season.

They are offering season ticket holders for Premier League and Championship clubs can watch the match for the reduced ticket price of £6, while Kettering season ticket holders can take a guest to the Merthyr game for £6 (free for under-16s).

Merthyr Town, from: Oliver Davies, Adam Davies, Cameron Pring, Ashley Evans, Jarrad Wright, Scott Tancock, Jaye Bowen, Corey Jenkins, Kyle Patten, Mo Touray, Kerry Morgan, Eliot Richards, Ian Traylor, Curtis McDonald, Robbie Patten, Kyle Copp.