BIG MATCH PREVIEW: Austin says 'underdogs' Harborough will be ready for Poppies test

The Bees take on the Poppies at Latimer Park (ko 7.45pm) with a place in Monday afternoon's final and the chance of promotion to Step Two at stake.

Austin's side qualified for the play-offs with a fifth-place finish that was secured with a 5-1 final day of the season win at AFC Sudbury on Saturday, while the Poppies finished runners-up, having for most of the season looked the favourites to win the title.

The two sides finished six points apart, but they start all square in the semi and although Austin, a former Kettering assistant manager, accepts his team will be the underdogs, he wants them to do their utmost to grasp this opportunity.

"What we need to expect is a lions’ den of an atmosphere," said Austin. "Kettering are the best supported team in the league, and are a really, really big club.

"You could question whether they should even be in this league, the size and stature of the club that they are.

"We are going into it as massive underdogs, the mouthy little brother from round the corner, and they don't like any ex-player and they haven't got a lot of nice things to say about me, which is fine.

"We will be going in playing a proper team, a proper, established non-League club, and it is going to be hostile, but we do thrive of that. So let's see what we are capable of."

Harborough will certainly have no inferiority complex going into the match.

They claimed a 1-1 draw when the sides last met at Latimer Park in August, and were then 2-1 winners when the Poppies travelled to the Bee Hive on New Year's Day.

Harborough will be backed by a big away following in what could be a 2,500-strong crowd, and Austin said: "It is going to be exciting.

"Everybody is excited, but let's just be level-headed about it. Let's do what we can and let's enjoy it.

"I want the fans to be loud and proud, and let's get that drum banging.

"That could be the difference for a bit of momentum, or sealing a win, or hanging on, they have been outstanding for us."

If Harborough were to win Wednesday night's semi-final, they would travel to either AFC Telford United or Halesowen for the final on Bank Holiday Monday (ko 3pm).