Byfield eyes upset against leaders Kettering Town

DARREN Byfield is convinced his Stratford Town side can cause an upset when they take on Southern League Premier Central Division leaders Kettering Town on Saturday.

The in-form Poppies have already opened up a five-point gap at the top, having won all five of their league games so far and the bookmakers make them odds-on favourites to make it six out of six at the Arden Garages Stadium.

Stratford will be looking to build on the bank holiday Monday draw at Banbury, where Town came from behind to claim a hard-earned point.

Kettering are likely to provide an even tougher test, but Byfield said: “Nobody expected us to get anything from Banbury and we did.

“We’ll now go into the Kettering game with a belief that we can win it.

“I don’t fear anything from this weekend. If we apply ourselves correctly, then we can cause an upset.

“We are at home and I expect our players to give a good account of themselves against any team. We know on a betting slip it’ll say a Kettering win, but I know we’ll give it our best shot.”

If Stratford are to stand any chance of beating the title favourites, they must not replicate their woeful first-half showing at Banbury.

Town failed to register a shot on target at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium, before a much-improved second half performance led to an equaliser.

“I thought we were poor in the first half,” Byfield said.

“I don’t think we registered a shot, never mind one on target. But in the second half we changed formation and we were a lot better and the lads looked a lot more comfortable.

“We are not quite there in the last third at the moment, but hopefully that will come as we progress.”