Kettering Town vs Doncaster Rovers Prediction: Donny to end Kettering dream

Southern League Premier Division outfit Kettering Town entertain League 2 promotion contenders Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon (12:00, live on BBC Two).

After toppling local rivals Northampton Town in the previous round, the hosts will be eager to claim another Football League scalp in Doncaster, who currently occupy a play-off place in the fourth tier. Read on for my Kettering Town vs Doncaster Rovers prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Football Odds

Team News

Kettering manager Rich Lavery will have to do without one of his round-one heroes this weekend, after midfielder Devon Kelly-Evans was sent off at the end of Kettering’s league match against Bedford Town this month.

Luca Miller and Isiah Noel-Williams were rested on Saturday in preparation for this clash, so they're expected to be named in the starting XI here.

As for the visitors, Jay McGrath was sent off late on in the goalless stalemate with Carlisle United, meaning that he will serve a one-game suspension this weekend.

Billy Sharp will lead the line for Doncaster, supported in attack by the likes of Luke Molyneux and Kyle Hurst, while Tom Anderson will fill the defensive void in McGrath's absence.

Kettering Town vs Doncaster Rovers Odds

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Kettering Town are 8/1 to cause another upset in 90 minutes, and 9/2 to win the tie, while Doncaster are 3/10 to taste victory inside 90 minutes, giving them an implied win probability of 76.90%. The visitors can also be backed at 1/8 to claim the tie and advance to the third round.

Rovers can be backed at 23/20 to win to nil, and it's 16/1 for Kettering to do the same, while over 2.5 goals is on odds-on shot at 8/15.

Doncaster to win and over 2.5 goals @ 5/6

A whopping 68 places separate these two clubs, with the Poppies sitting top of the Southern League Premier Central and Rovers fourth in League 2. So, on paper, you'd expect a comfortable win for Doncaster.

However, Rovers will be aware of the threat that Kettering possess, who knocked out League 1 Northampton in the previous round, courtesy of strikes from Miller and former Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger.

Doncaster will go into the game off the back of three straight stalemates, with their latest game a 0-0 draw at Carlisle United on Saturday, while the hosts have won their last nine outings.

I'm expecting plenty of goals, as the visitors will want to avoid extra time if possible due to an already congested schedule, and over 2.5 goals has landed in four of Kettering’s last five games.

In terms of the result, I'm backing Doncaster to end the Kettering fairytale, as they've met eight times previously, and the latter are yet to win.

Correct Score - Doncaster 2-1 @ 15/2

Which leads me onto my second tip - Doncaster to win 2-1.

I think the visitors will show Kettering the respect they deserve after their victory in the previous round against Northampton, and they arrive into this game on the back of three consecutive draws - not exactly firing on all cylinders.

I could also see Kettering giving Rovers a scare, but Doncaster's quality will prevail in the end and edge this contest.

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