KETTERING TOWN 1-1 COVENTRY CITY X1 BY KEV MONKS
Team: Burge, Pegg, Hussey (Finch 78), Fredrick (Garner 46), Phillips, Donald, Roberts (Richard 57), Ruffels, Clarke-Harris, Daniels (Rankin 70), Jeffers (Maund 70) SNU Carsley.
Kettering: Walker, P.Ifill, J,.Ifill, Sangere, Verma, Kelly, Noubissie, Bridges, Mills, Ralph, Ford. Subs Alexander, Jones, McKenzie,
HT KTFC 1-0 CCFC FT KTFC 1-1 CCFC
ATT 525
Goals Aman Varma (6), Jonson Clarke-Harris (84)
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A young Coventry City side drew 1-1 at Kettering Town in a benefit match tonight.
This game was played at the old home of now defunct Rushden & Diamonds at Nene Park, where Kettering have been playing home league and cup matches and saw City fielding an U18's team following the postponement of their FA Premier Academy League game at Tottenham on Saturday, plus Chris Hussey and Shaun Jeffers.
Kettering who had former Coventry City forward Leon McKenzie on the bench, attacked in the opening minute and it was only a combination of keeper Lee Burge and young defender Alex Donald that Noubissie's effort was cleared two yards off the line.
In the sixth minute, Kettering had the corners and from the second, the ball fell to Aman Varma on the edge of the area, who hit a shot which a deflection and flew in to the net on Burge's left hand side.
Kettering may have had the experience in years but the young Sky Blues started to come back into the game.
Shaun Jeffers did very well to even get in a shot under the close attention of two markers as at the other end, City's defence which comprised of the hard working Pegg, Phillips, Donald and Hussey, dealt with two corners and a header from David Bridges.
Under Greg Rioch who took charge of the team, City have played some excellent, entertaining football and there were glimpses of this when a good move saw Will Roberts fire at the keeper in the 27th minute and nine minutes later, Phillips picked out Jeffers who was only stopped from scoring by a timely intervention by a Kettering defender.
In the 42nd minute, City's best move of the half saw Hussey and Jeffers find Jonson Clarke-Harris who hit a terrific twenty yard drive which Walker was equal to and was able to push the ball round the post for a corner.
Former Manchester United youngster Louis Garner came on for the second half and it was a half that started with City on the attack. A Hussey cross landed on the roof of the net quickly followed by a cross just missing Jeffers and Clarke-Harris, who was only inches wide with a twenty five yarder screamer moments later.
Courtney Richards was brought on as City battled away, winning most of the possession and Walker making a great block from Jeffers who had ran at the home defence.
Jeffers along with Billy Daniels were replaced after seventy minutes by Ben Maund and Lewis Rankin before the biggest cheer of the night so far came when Leon McKenzie came on in the 75th minute.
McKenzie, doing his part to help Kettering raise £5700 on the night, just missed a cross with his first touch but watched on as Clarke Harris forced Walker into a great block which gave City an 84th minute corner.
The penalty area was crowded but when the ball came in, there was Jonson Clarke-Harris to head firmly into the net and give the Sky Blues a more than deserved draw for a hard working performance.