This Saturday I decided to dig back into the Northants Combination for my weekend football fix. A few weeks ago I was at Milton to see them take on Rushden (Rushden Leave It Late) and, noting that Rushden were at home this weekend, I decided to make the journey over to Wellingborough. Since that match in late September, Rushden have gone top of the league and today they were taking on the team in fifth place, Kingsthorpe Jets. Both teams are quite new to the Northants Combination. Rushden are in their second season, whereas this is the first season for Jets, as far as I can see. Rushden FC was formed out of the former Nene Sunday League side, Rushden Spartans when the club wanted to progress into Saturday football, joining Division One of the Northants Combination in July 2024. They finished a creditable seventh in their first season. I wasn't able to find out too much about Kingsthorpe's men's team but the About Us section of the web site shows that they are one of the largest grassroots clubs in Northamptonshire. I'll find out a little more about the later in a month or so when my daughter's team travels to Kingsthorpe in the County Cup.
Top of the table Rushden came in the game having lost just one of five, wining the other four, including last week's 4-1 defeat of Weldon United which saw them hit top spot. Jets had won two, drawn one and lost one. They too put four past Weldon United. Last weekend they went down 2-1 at home to Moulton Reserves in the County Cup, after being one up at the break.
Many thanks to the officials from both clubs who kindly allowed me to get a photo of the teams sheets before kick-off.
Top of the table Rushden came in the game having lost just one of five, wining the other four, including last week's 4-1 defeat of Weldon United which saw them hit top spot. Jets had won two, drawn one and lost one. They too put four past Weldon United. Last weekend they went down 2-1 at home to Moulton Reserves in the County Cup, after being one up at the break.
Many thanks to the officials from both clubs who kindly allowed me to get a photo of the teams sheets before kick-off.
Jets clear their lines There was no getting away from the effects of Storm Amy, sending very strong gusts across the pitch in a diagonal manner that would favour the team kicking away from the car park end. This was Rushden in the first half. It was clearly going t be more of a case of conquering the conditions rather than then opponents.
Six minutes in, with both teams having seen what the effects of the wind on the game would be, it was Rushden's Ryan Knowles who first sought to take advantage of the conditions, firing in a drive from 30 yards out. The ball flew wide, but it was worth an indication of how the teams could use the weather. On 12 minutes home centre-forward Dylan Wilson also had a crack, hitting the target this time but seeing his effort well fielded by Jack Eady.
Harry Keeble, playing out wide on the right for Rushden, was starting to exert some influence on the game. It was clear that his trickery and pace was giving the Jets defence a headache and Rushden looked to exploit this. Just before the quarter-hour a raking 60-yard ball was brilliantly controlled by Keeble on the right touchline, he beat his marker before sending over a cross that caused chaos in the visitor's penalty area but was eventually scrambled clear. Jets were struggling to make any inroads into the wind or into Rushden's defence at this point.
Keeble then sent another 30 yard effort flashing wide of Eady's left-hand upright and, when Sam Sueke launched a kick downfield on 18 minutes, Dan Owen did very well to control the bouncing ball, before sending it goalward in one fluid movement. Eady was at full stretch to push away the effort but the ball fell to Keeble who crashed a shot off the bar from a narrow angle. It felt as if a goal was coming for the home side and, on 21 minutes, it finally did. Once again it was Keeble who was the instigator, sending over a cross from the right, this tome pulling it toward the edge of the box. Dylan Wilson controlled the ball, spun and sent a shot spinning past Eady into the corner. 1-0
Having breached the Jets' defence, Rushden looked to increase their lead before the break. However, six minutes after going in front, they came very close to presenting Kingsthorpe with an equaliser. Jets had the ball inside the home half and probed with a ball through the middle for Eddie Wanjohi to chase. It looked as if the home defence had it under control, but a lack of communication between goalkeeper and defender saw the ball poked past the onrushing keeper. Wanjohi ran on and looked like all he had to do was stroke the ball into an unguarded net. However, he delayed that fraction too long, allowing Sam Sueke to regain his ground and make an excellent block. That felt like the big chance for Jets and rally should have seen the get back on terms.
To their credit, Jets did manage to stem the flow of the Rushden attacks and, in the final 15 minutes of the half, also came close again to scoring themselves when Mark Webster's free-kick wasn't too far over Sueke's bar.
HT Rushden 1 Kingsthorpe Jets 0. A wind-assisted lead at the break for Rushden but the question everyone must be asking is "will one be enough?" Playing into the wind in the second half would almost certainly mean conceding ground to the visitors. Would Jets be able to take advantage of the conditions or would Rushden be strong enough to withstand them?
Six minutes in, with both teams having seen what the effects of the wind on the game would be, it was Rushden's Ryan Knowles who first sought to take advantage of the conditions, firing in a drive from 30 yards out. The ball flew wide, but it was worth an indication of how the teams could use the weather. On 12 minutes home centre-forward Dylan Wilson also had a crack, hitting the target this time but seeing his effort well fielded by Jack Eady.
Harry Keeble, playing out wide on the right for Rushden, was starting to exert some influence on the game. It was clear that his trickery and pace was giving the Jets defence a headache and Rushden looked to exploit this. Just before the quarter-hour a raking 60-yard ball was brilliantly controlled by Keeble on the right touchline, he beat his marker before sending over a cross that caused chaos in the visitor's penalty area but was eventually scrambled clear. Jets were struggling to make any inroads into the wind or into Rushden's defence at this point.
Keeble then sent another 30 yard effort flashing wide of Eady's left-hand upright and, when Sam Sueke launched a kick downfield on 18 minutes, Dan Owen did very well to control the bouncing ball, before sending it goalward in one fluid movement. Eady was at full stretch to push away the effort but the ball fell to Keeble who crashed a shot off the bar from a narrow angle. It felt as if a goal was coming for the home side and, on 21 minutes, it finally did. Once again it was Keeble who was the instigator, sending over a cross from the right, this tome pulling it toward the edge of the box. Dylan Wilson controlled the ball, spun and sent a shot spinning past Eady into the corner. 1-0
Having breached the Jets' defence, Rushden looked to increase their lead before the break. However, six minutes after going in front, they came very close to presenting Kingsthorpe with an equaliser. Jets had the ball inside the home half and probed with a ball through the middle for Eddie Wanjohi to chase. It looked as if the home defence had it under control, but a lack of communication between goalkeeper and defender saw the ball poked past the onrushing keeper. Wanjohi ran on and looked like all he had to do was stroke the ball into an unguarded net. However, he delayed that fraction too long, allowing Sam Sueke to regain his ground and make an excellent block. That felt like the big chance for Jets and rally should have seen the get back on terms.
To their credit, Jets did manage to stem the flow of the Rushden attacks and, in the final 15 minutes of the half, also came close again to scoring themselves when Mark Webster's free-kick wasn't too far over Sueke's bar.
HT Rushden 1 Kingsthorpe Jets 0. A wind-assisted lead at the break for Rushden but the question everyone must be asking is "will one be enough?" Playing into the wind in the second half would almost certainly mean conceding ground to the visitors. Would Jets be able to take advantage of the conditions or would Rushden be strong enough to withstand them?
Mark Webster has a pop for Jets A minute into the second half it became clear that Jets were going to look at the conditions for assistance to get back into the game. Almost immediately lofting a long ball forward into the home penalty area. Jack Gill was after it but home keeper Sam Sueke had also spotted the danger, racing off his line to punch the ball clear and, in doing so, clearing our Gill, who went down in a heap causing immediate consternation from both sets of players. You had to feel sympathy for the Jets rolling substitute, who was clearly unhappy to have been taken off midway through the first half and now, 30 seconds after coming back on, was flattened by the keeper. Thankfully, after some treatment Gill was back on his feet and being led off the pitch. He also managed to come back on again later in the game, so the initial injury was clearly nowhere near as bad as it first looked.
Jets were not able to take advantage of the resulting free-kick with Andre Liburd's effort being bravely headed clear, but they did continue to push forward and, with the wind now in their favour, were certainly spending a lot more time in the opposition half than they did in the first period. However, they were still not giving Sueke too much to worry about and when Rushden did get hold of the ball, they were coping with the elements better, still managing to launch attacks of their own.
A game that had appeared to be played in a very friendly manner almost boiled over on the 70 minutes mark when a fracas developed off the ball. It was difficult to say what started it and, to be fair, it calmed down pretty quickly with just a yellow card each for the protagonists.
Webster, who had come close in the first half, then tested Sueke from range again, lashing in a free-kick from 25 yards that the Rushden stopper did well to punch clear. Then, inside the final 10 minutes, two incidents, one at each end, that could have been pivotal. First of all Rushden should have clinched the game when substitute Jonah Westmore broke up the right and sent over a low cross that looked to be perfect for Wilson, but somehow the striker managed to put the ball over the bar from inside the 6-yard box. Jets immediately launched an attack of their own and when Webster sent a long ball into the box, Sueke was forced to back-peddle and palm it over his bar after the wind turned it into an almost inch-perfect lob.
Kingsthorpe were now throwing as much as they could at their hosts, in search of the illusive equaliser. Of course, that left them vulnerable at the back and, three minutes into added time, Rushden did finally seal the deal. A quick break up the left gave WIlson a chance only for Eady to make an excellent stop. However the keeper was helpless to prevent Jonah Westmore from slotting home the rebound 2-0.
FT Rushden 2 Kingsthorpe Jets 0. A game that was ultimately decided in favour of the team that coped better with the awful conditions. Rushden only managed to score once with the wind in their favour, but they defended much better in the face of the wind and still found ways to cause problems for their opponents throughout the second half.
The result sees Rushden maintain their position at the top, still a point clear of Spencer Mill, who also won 2-0 at home. Kingsthorpe slip from fourth to seventh. Next week Rushden are away at second from bottom Harpole Reserves, whilst Kingsthorpe welcome fifth placed Thrapston Venturas to The Rec.
Rushden: 24.Sueke, 3.Bates, 2.Keenleyside, 6.Koltun(c), 5.Gray, 4.Owens, 8.R.Knowles, 7.Deveraux, 9.Wilson, 15.Souza, 17.Keeble. Subs: 16.Westmore, 14.Oslar, 22.Bailey, 10.O'Dell, 12.A.Knowles
Kingsthorpe Jets: 1.Eady, 4.Willmott, 2.Webster, 10.Liburd, 8.Oyston, 13.Burbidge, 3.Barrett, 14.Clark, 15.Francis-Tysoe, 9. Wanjohi, 7.Gill. Subs: 5.Craddock, 6.Gernon, 12.Ssemakula
Jets were not able to take advantage of the resulting free-kick with Andre Liburd's effort being bravely headed clear, but they did continue to push forward and, with the wind now in their favour, were certainly spending a lot more time in the opposition half than they did in the first period. However, they were still not giving Sueke too much to worry about and when Rushden did get hold of the ball, they were coping with the elements better, still managing to launch attacks of their own.
A game that had appeared to be played in a very friendly manner almost boiled over on the 70 minutes mark when a fracas developed off the ball. It was difficult to say what started it and, to be fair, it calmed down pretty quickly with just a yellow card each for the protagonists.
Webster, who had come close in the first half, then tested Sueke from range again, lashing in a free-kick from 25 yards that the Rushden stopper did well to punch clear. Then, inside the final 10 minutes, two incidents, one at each end, that could have been pivotal. First of all Rushden should have clinched the game when substitute Jonah Westmore broke up the right and sent over a low cross that looked to be perfect for Wilson, but somehow the striker managed to put the ball over the bar from inside the 6-yard box. Jets immediately launched an attack of their own and when Webster sent a long ball into the box, Sueke was forced to back-peddle and palm it over his bar after the wind turned it into an almost inch-perfect lob.
Kingsthorpe were now throwing as much as they could at their hosts, in search of the illusive equaliser. Of course, that left them vulnerable at the back and, three minutes into added time, Rushden did finally seal the deal. A quick break up the left gave WIlson a chance only for Eady to make an excellent stop. However the keeper was helpless to prevent Jonah Westmore from slotting home the rebound 2-0.
FT Rushden 2 Kingsthorpe Jets 0. A game that was ultimately decided in favour of the team that coped better with the awful conditions. Rushden only managed to score once with the wind in their favour, but they defended much better in the face of the wind and still found ways to cause problems for their opponents throughout the second half.
The result sees Rushden maintain their position at the top, still a point clear of Spencer Mill, who also won 2-0 at home. Kingsthorpe slip from fourth to seventh. Next week Rushden are away at second from bottom Harpole Reserves, whilst Kingsthorpe welcome fifth placed Thrapston Venturas to The Rec.
Rushden: 24.Sueke, 3.Bates, 2.Keenleyside, 6.Koltun(c), 5.Gray, 4.Owens, 8.R.Knowles, 7.Deveraux, 9.Wilson, 15.Souza, 17.Keeble. Subs: 16.Westmore, 14.Oslar, 22.Bailey, 10.O'Dell, 12.A.Knowles
Kingsthorpe Jets: 1.Eady, 4.Willmott, 2.Webster, 10.Liburd, 8.Oyston, 13.Burbidge, 3.Barrett, 14.Clark, 15.Francis-Tysoe, 9. Wanjohi, 7.Gill. Subs: 5.Craddock, 6.Gernon, 12.Ssemakula
Wellingborough OG Sports Field
The Ground
Rushden currently pay their home matches at Wellingborough Old Grammarians Sportsfield, which is situated on the north-western edge of Wellingborough. The complex is a multi-sport facility that also plays host to cricket, rugby archery and athletics. The ground is accessed from a service road off Sywell Road, which leads past the cricket club into a large car park. Adjacent to the car park is a clubhouse and large block that is divided into various changing facilities for teams and officials. The main pitch, that Rushden play on, is behind the car park and is backed by trees on two sides and a grass bank on one of the others. This bank separates the main pitch from the two small-sided pitches. There are purpose-built dugouts on this side of the pitch too. There's no spectator cover available around the pitch.
Ground Number: 463
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Rushden currently pay their home matches at Wellingborough Old Grammarians Sportsfield, which is situated on the north-western edge of Wellingborough. The complex is a multi-sport facility that also plays host to cricket, rugby archery and athletics. The ground is accessed from a service road off Sywell Road, which leads past the cricket club into a large car park. Adjacent to the car park is a clubhouse and large block that is divided into various changing facilities for teams and officials. The main pitch, that Rushden play on, is behind the car park and is backed by trees on two sides and a grass bank on one of the others. This bank separates the main pitch from the two small-sided pitches. There are purpose-built dugouts on this side of the pitch too. There's no spectator cover available around the pitch.
Ground Number: 463
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
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