HITCHIN T 0 KETTERING T 0

BOTH sides will have been happy with a share of the spoils as the Canaries and the Poppies cancelled each other out in an entertaining draw.

Hitchin gave a senior debut to rookie goalkeeper Liam Gooch – on loan from Luton – and he was busier than his opposite number.

But it was Kettering keeper Dean Snedker who was tested early on by a Robbies Burns’ long range effort, having to move fast to prevent his initial save from bobbling into the net.

The visitors were patient in attack as Liam Canavan fired wide and Spencer Weir-Daley was also off target after dispossessing Dan Webb.

Gooch then gathered well from Weir-Daley before the interval.

At the other end, Lucas Kirkpatrick and Brett Donnelly went close without testing Snedker.

The Poppies piled on the pressure after the interval, with Wilson Carvalho and Rene Howe involved in much of their approach play as the Canaries found it hard to get the ball out of their half.

Gooch got down well to pull off two fine saves from Howe and also denied Weir-Daley again.

Hitchin sub Matt Lench failed to connect with a Kane Smith cross, before almost setting up Burns.

As the balance of the game tilted, Snedker had to gather a couple of dangerous free-kicks that Webb tried to get on the end of.