By Lawrence Stanley
City start their FA Trophy campaign this afternoon when they play fellow National League North side Kettering Town at Latimer Park (KO: 15:00).
After a difficult run in the league which has seen the Tigers lose the last four, the match provides a great opportunity for Steven King’s side to get back to winning ways.
These two teams met each other in the second round last season, with City running out comfortable 3-0 winners in the end.
Read all the information about this tie as City hope for a similar scoreline this time around.
Form:
As mentioned, it has been a winless month so far for City after what was a flawless start in the league under new boss King.
Although they can count themselves unlucky not to get anything from recent results, which was perhaps shown best by last weekend’s narrow defeat to Scarborough.
Despite taking the lead twice thanks to Tre Mitford, it was last-minute drama once again – a theme developing throughout the season – as Lewis Maloney’s strike denied City a deserved point.
City have dropped to 11th in the table, but are just one point off the play-off spots.
They reached the third round of the FA Trophy last season courtesy of that win against this weekend’s opponents, but fell to a 5-0 hammering against Wrexham in the following round.
Kettering also suffered defeat in their last match against Chorley, as a Connor Hall and Jack Sampson goal condemned the Poppies to a 2-0 loss.
However, they do come into Saturday’s game in better form than the visitors, having won twice and drawn once in their last five.
When it comes to the head-to-head, the two sides are deadlocked with two wins and two draws apiece in their meetings.
The opposition:
Things have looked bleak all season for Kettering, as they find themselves languishing near the bottom of the table.
After agonisingly finishing just outside the play-offs last season, the Poppies have yet to get going this time around.
They have conceded 33 goals in the league so far this campaign, only Farsley Celtic having shipped more.
Former Premier League and Curacao international Kemy Agustien, who signed last month, is their star man in midfield.
Recently departed Andrew Oluwabori is still the Poppies’ top scorer this season with four goals, despite only being at Latimer Park on a short-term loan from Peterborough.
They are managed by former Nottingham Forest forward Lee Glover, who was appointed last summer.
Past meetings:
15 April 2022: Kettering Town 1-0 Gloucester City – National League North
27 November 2021: Gloucester City 3-0 Kettering Town – FA Vase
30 August 2021: Gloucester City 0-2 Kettering Town – National League North
6 October 2020: Gloucester City 3-1 Kettering Town – National League North
7 March 2020: Kettering Town 1-1 Gloucester City – National League North
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