Manager Alan Dowson set Kingstonian a target of four more victories from his side to ensure a play-off berth and he got the first in commanding performance against a AFC Hornchurch team who have promotion aspirations of their own.

Two set pieces from man of the match Matt Gray, one in each half, were seen home by midfielder Simon Huckle and defender John Fletcher in a relatively comfortable afternoon.

As much as the Urchins strikeforce tried, the Ks backline was in a parsimonious mood and keeper Rob Tolfrey, the hero of Monday night's victory against Ashford, was rarely troubled.

The only blot on the landscape for Dowson was a second yellow card and a harsh sending off for midfielder Bashiru Alimi with 10 minutes to go, but it had little effect on the game.

Ks now have a midweek break but travel to deepest Essex next Saturday for a tough game at Aveley, who are themselves on the outside of the play-off places.

Ks started brightly enough and the best was midfielder Mo Harkin's through ball deep into the away box to Alimi, which looked promising but striker Carl Wilson-Denis just couldn't fashion any room to get a shot in.

After 10 minutes, an edge of the box free-kick from the Urchins' Andy Tomlinson from the left sailed out.

Then a Tomlinson corner from the right was headed away by the busy Gray on the near post.

In the 17th minute, Ks stamped themselves on the game with a vital opening goal.

A short corner from Gray from the right found striker Bobby Traynor in the Urchins box, he turned a delicate and dangerous cross onto the far post where an unmarked SIMON HUCKLE rose to head home from close quarters.

After 23 minutes, a Fletcher handball on the edge of the Ks box set up a promising free-kick for Tomlinson but it was headed clear by an unflustered backline.

A dangerous inswinging Tomlinson corner from the right was tipped out by Tolfrey on the far post.

On 36 minutes, a penetrating run from the halfway line from Urchins midfielder Tambeson Eyong was eventually stopped by a well-timed tackle from Max Hustwick on the edge of the Ks box.

Three minutes later, Harkin cut in from the right and sent in a useful far post cross that was just too far for a lurking Christian Jolley.

Then a Gray cross from the right saw a late run from Jolley heading just wide of the near post.

In first half additional time, a battling Alimi was upended on the edge of the Urchins box. Traynor curled the ball around the defensive wall but keeper Darren Behcet comfortably caught the ball on his line.

On 48 minutes, the game was pretty much put to bed with the K' second goal.

Alimi, who was proving to be a handful for the visitors, was upended by defender Mitchell Stuart-Evans out on the left flank.

Gray dangerously curled the free-kick into the away goalmouth which saw JOHN FLETCHER go up with Urchins skipper Elliot Styles to head home past a stranded Behcet.

It could have been three when Gray sent in another free-kick which Hustwick headed upwards for a battling Fletcher who sent the ball across the face of goal.

On 67 minutes, Hustwick and Ronsard Kemi went into battle, but the Urchins sub could only drive the ball over.

Another Gray free-kick saw him fire the ball low into the Urchins goalmouth where it unluckily struck a lurking Huckle.

Then a Gray thunderbolt from some 35 yards was not so very far off.

With 10 minutes to go, Alimi was yellow-carded for not retreating quickly enough from a free-kick on the halfway line, he had already picked up a booking for a foul, and so was sent off.

Three minutes later Dowson replenished his ten men making a double substitution of defender Rob Sheridan and attacked Dean Lodge.

With five minutes to go an Eyong strike from way out on the right, and from an acute angle, was pushed out by Tolfrey.

Then into additional time a hopeful cross from defender Billy Coyne saw an untroubled Tolfrey on the edge of his box to punch the ball clear.

K's. 1. Rob Tolfrey 2. Matt Gray 3. John Fletcher 4. Adam Thompson (capt) 5.. Max Hustwick 6. Simon Huckle 7. Bashiru Alimi 8. Mo Harkin 9. Bobby Traynor (sub Rob Sheridan, 83mins) 10. Carl Wilson-Denis (sub Dean Lodge, 83mins) 11. Christian Jolley.

Subs: 12. Francis Duku (not used) 13. Luke Garrard (G/k - not used) 14. Matt Ferdinando (not used) 15. Rob Sheridan 16. Dean Lodge.

K's Yellow Cards: Alimi, Tolfrey.

K's Red Cards: Alimi.

K's Man of the Match, chosen by the Ks Supporters Club: Matt Gray

Attendance: 361.