Play-off hopefuls Scarborough Athletic pegged back to 1-1 draw by late Kettering Town goal

Striker Ciaran McGuckin returned to the Boro side after missing the last eight games through injury, but the main talking point before the game was the awful state of the pitch after several days of heavy rain, writes Steve Adamson.

Kettering hadn’t scored in their last three games, but they made a bright start, with Rhys Sharpe bursting into the box, only to be foiled by a crunching tackle from Simon Heslop who had an excellent game, then Ellis Myles blazed a shot over, before Boro went close when a long-range strike from Lewis Maloney was well saved by Kettering keeper Owen Mason on 15 minutes.

In the 22nd minute a fierce Keaton Ward shot was deflected wide by Bailey Gooda, and from the resulting corner, another Ward shot was headed off the line by Gooda.

Will Thornton made a strong tackle to halt a run from Ben Sault, then a cross into the box from Sam Bennett was cleared by Ryan Qualter’s diving header.

Boro were on top in the latter stages of the first half, and a corner from Maloney was headed on by Thornton to Kieran Burton, whose acrobatic overhead kick went straight at the keeper. McGuckin enjoyed a couple of powerful runs, and Michael Coulson fired over, as the interval was reached with the score 0-0.

Ryan Qualter twice broke up Kettering attacks, tackling Sault, then blocking a shot from home skipper Gary Stohrer, while at the other end an Alex Wiles strike was charged down by Ward, before Boro opened the scoring on 62 minutes when Kieran Glynn jinked past a couple of defenders and was fouled just outside the area, to the left of goal.

Lewis Maloney stepped up to take the free-kick, and curled the ball over the wall and into the bottom left corner.

Boro looked to build on their lead, with Coulson passing forward to McGuckin, who fired narrowly wide, then Jake Charles played a low ball across the goalmouth, and McGuckin slid in, but just failed to connect to divert into the net.

Kettering fought back, as Ward and Ethan Hill both shot wide, but they drew level when Ward gained possession just inside the Boro half, and went on a powerful run towards goal, going past Burton and netting with a low drive into the bottom corner.

A couple of long throws into the area from Sharpe caused panic, but Joe Cracknell was in fine form, punching clear and holding onto crosses, then a Ward shot was blocked by Thornton, and Decarrey Sheriff fired narrowly over.

Boro did create a couple of late chances, an in swinging cross from Dan Greenfield was punched away from under the bar by Mason, and another Greenfield cross was headed inches over by Jake Charles.

KETTERING - Mason, Gascoigne, Stohrer, Ward, Sharpe, Cooper, Hill (Scott 80), Myles, Forsyth, Lewthwaite (Bennett 22), Sault (Sheriff 60)

BORO - Cracknell, Maloney, Burton, Gooda, Thornton, Qualter, Coulson, Heslop, McGuckin (Weledji 80), Glynn (Greenfield 84), Wiles (Charles 62)

REFEREE - Liam Corbett

GOALS - KETTERING- Keaton Ward 75 BORO - Lewis Maloney 62

YELLOW CARDS - KETTERING - Brad Gascoigne BORO - Kieran Burton

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Lewis Maloney

ATTENDANCE - 815 (130 away)