The Blues were denied all three points on their travels by a late goal from experienced Kettering Town striker Bruno Andrade. After going behind the visitors lead at the break and looked set to record back to back victories after the home win over Hitchin Town but for Andrade’s late intervention.

A heavily sanded pitch enabled to game to go ahead kicking off on a sunny mild evening and Leiston pressed forward from the start and won a corner after only a minute’s play, but it was comfortably dealt with. Loza saw an effort clear the home bar while the hosts responded with two long throws from Sharpe that Bailey-Dennis dealt with twice. Loza was involved again soon after and after skipping past a challenge his cross was half cleared as far as Boatswain whose effort was deflected for another corner. Against the run of play Kettering opened the scoring on ten minutes. Andrade’s effort was tipped onto the post by Donkin but as the Blues failed to fully clear, Yussuf pounced too neatly net. Minutes later it could have been two when Andrade fired over when well placed. Leiston looked to have weathered the hosts pressure and stunned their hosts with two goals in five minutes to turn the game on its head. The equaliser came on 34 minutes, Jackson’s threaded through ball released Boatswain who raced clear of the home defence and planted his shot inside the post beyond the advancing Jezeph. Six minutes before the break Leiston were ahead. A quick free kick found Loza who cut across the Kettering box to create space and send a fine left foot shot into Jezeph’s bottom right hand corner. Kettering almost responded straight away, Reindorf’s effort to the far post inches wide and Leiston went into the break ahead.

Leiston were the first on the attack as the second half kicked off and Manly saw an effort deflected. Ten minutes into the half and Leiston were still pressing, pushing Kettering back with plenty of crosses into the box, but Kettering defence were equal to them protecting Jezeph. Finally in the second half we saw a chance at goal with Quantrell forcing Jezeph into a smart stop with the ball falling to Boatswain but he couldn’t get a true connection and Jezeph was able to collect. Quantrell tried another effort which Jezeph held as Leiston continue to control proceedings. With twenty five minutes remaining Kettering began to press. Bailey-Dennis was in the right position to clear Yussuf’s effort off the line and then twice cleared dangerous corners. Reindorf fired a chance over the top and then Yussuf poked an effort over. The pressure paid off on 82 minutes as Kettering got their equaliser. Andrade showed great strength to hold off the challenge of Ryan Jarvis and fire low into the bottom corner. Both teams won corners in the final minutes of the contest but couldn’t force a winner.

FT: Kettering Town 2 Leiston 2

Kettering Town: Jezeph, Marzano, Langmead, Rowe-Turner, Sharpe, Dawson (Reilly 55 mins), Forsyth (Scott 80 mins), Jarvis (White 60 mins), Andrade, Reindorf, Yussuf. Sub not used: Okito

Blues: Donkin, Batho (Marsden 85 mins), Dunbar, Ryan Jarvis (Dronfield 85 mins), Bailey-Dennis, Jackson, Quantrell, Armin, Boatswain, Manly (Saunders 77 mins), Loza, Subs not used: Rossi Jarvis and Mehew.

Attendance: 507