Kettering Town 2 Northwich Vics 0 VICS gave new man Dale Anderson his debut, but it was the defence who looked more like strangers on Saturday.
Keiron Charnock was switched to left back at the expense of Ben Chapman to accommodate Steve Payne in the centre and the back four seemed unsettled and square.
Anderson, playing on the right flank in place of Danny Mayman, played soundly though he did not look like scoring.
Vics who should have scored first. After only two minutes Carlos Roca found space on the edge of the box and his first shot was parried by goalkeeper Mark Osborn.
The ball only went as far as Roca, now 10 yards from a gaping goal with Osborn still grounded, but the keeper stretched out a leg to deflect the ball for a corner.
Anthony Elding, Kettering's £40,000 buy from Stevenage, beat Vics' backline twice but ballooned his shot over the bar after previously firing straight at Rogers.
On 32 minutes Kettering took the lead. Hall skipped past Roca and crossed deeply for former Vics player Ryan Zico Black, who push the ball on to Neil Midgeley who stabbed the ball home.
Vics had not shaken off the effects of that setback when the Poppies scored again. This time Black crossed for Elding to rise high and neatly glance the ball into the net with his head. VICS: Rogers; McCarthy, Payne, Handyside, Charnock; Anderson, Carr (Mayman 65), Elliot (Battersby 55), Roca (Sale 45); Allan, Brayson. Att: 1,154 Star Man: Jonny Allan, mobility harrassed Kettering
Next Best: Mike Carr Team Rating: 3 Kettering Star: Mark Osborn Team Rating: 4 Match Rating: 3
