More points dropped for Ks

With Adam Thompson again embedded in the heart of the Kingstonian defence alongside skipper Francis Duku, a welcome away Ryman Premier League victory against ninth-placed Hornchurch looked on the cards at Bridge Avenue on Tuesday night.

The Urchins launched into the visitors from the off but the Ks backline looked calm an steady and, when Dean Lodge put them ahead nearing the end of the first half, hopes were high for maximum points.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with the home side looking increasingly frustrated until a freak goal occured that resulted in the Urchins equalizer.

A harmless, high punt from Jamie Dormer that was going nowhere got caught up in the floodlights and Ks keeper Rob Tolfrey's flailing hands directed the ball into the empty goal behind him.

Who would be a goalkeeper? It was hard lines for Tolfrey, who has been on top form since replacing club skipper Luke Garrard.

Ks now host play-off hopefuls Boreham Wood at Kingsmeadow on Sunday (3pm).

It was Urchins striker Jo Flack who powered down the left on just five minutes and sent in a low cross that was only half-cleared to winger Michael Spencer but his on-target strike was smothered by Tolfrey.

Then a Spencer cross from the left into the Ks goalmouth was seen away by Thompson.

Good approach work by the home side continued but wasn't unduly troubling the Ks backline.

On 21 minutes, Ks striker Carl Wilson-Denis took a tumble just inside the home box and appealed strongly for a penalty as Lodge fired in across the face of the Urchins goal.

Bashiru Alimi had an edge of the box drive blocked, Simon Huckle went for the loose ball close in, but he had strayed offside.

On 28 minutes Lodge was upended down the right. A Matt Gray free-kick was headed onto the roof of the net by Huckle.

Then Ks were stretched at the back when Spencer took off at some speed into the Ks box, Thompson got back to tackle and Tolfrey mopped up.

On 34 minutes, though, it was Ks who broke the deadlock.

Wilson-Denis found DEAN LODGE to his left on the edge of the home box, where he let loose a rasping drive that full-stretch keeper Darren Behcet couldn't keep out.

Ks' tails were up, Mo Harkin sent in a cross from the right which saw Alimi blocked, although an over the shoulder drive from Wilson-Denis wasn't far away.

On 38 minutes, Gray took off on a solo run from his own half but drove the ball skywards.

It was a good period for the K's and with a minute to the break a good Huckle tackle saw him set Lodge free down the left but his drive this time was wide of the near post.

The second half got under way with the Urchins Sosthene Yao taking off at some pace around the back of the Ks backline before sending in a low cross into the Ks goalmouth where Gray hacked the ball away.

Then one of the best Ks moves of the half on 53 minutes, which Lodge constructed from the left flank.

He sent in a through ball to Huckle, who was running into the Urchins box, where he tried to prod the ball home but Behcet anticipated it well and made a fine diving save.

Then Huckle tried to reciprocate the favour pushing a ball up for Lodge but the Urchins centre back Rickie Hayles sent the ball back to his keeper.

A Harkin throw from the let saw Lodge take a run along the edge of the home box where he unleashed a powerful drive that was held by Behcet at his second attempt.

A Flack run down the right saw his cross float away on the far post.

On 68 minutes the Urchins equalized with a goal that if filmed might end up on YouTube.

JAMIE DORMER, way out on the left, sent the ball skywards into the Ks box some distance from any other player, apart from the unfortunate Tolfrey, where he fumbled the ball into his own goal.

Fortunately, the Ks backline didn't seem affected by the bizarre nature of the goal conceded.

Urchins defender Andy Tomlinson sent in a free-kick from the right, Ronnie Fletcher got a head to it, but it was pushed away by Tolfrey.

On came striker Bobby Traynor to unselfishly push the ball back to Lodge on the edge of the home box but he skied over.

With a minute to go Urchins striker Ross Wall picked up a loose ball on the edge of the Ks box but his effort was straight at Tolfrey.

In the final minute Flack let loose a stinging drive that was held by Tolfrey.

With three minutes of additional time Dormer chanced his luck again with a drive wide of the near post.

Then in the final kick of the game Huckle found Traynor on the edge of the Urchins box and his fierce drive looked goalbound until Behcet made an equally impressive save.

Ks: 1. Rob Tolfrey 2. Matt Gray 3. John Fletcher 4. Adam Thompson 5. Francis Duku (capt) 6. Simon Huckle 7. Bashiru Alimi 8. Mo Harkin 9. Dean Lodge 10. Carl Wilson-Denis (sub Bobby Traynor, 76mins) 11. Christian Jolley.

Subs: 12. Bobby Traynor 13. Craig Bradshaw (G/K - not used) 14. Rob Sheridan (not used) 15. Luke Hickie (not used) 16. Lee Hall (not used).

K's yellow cards: Gray, Alimi

Attendance: 244