Leyton Orient 2-1 Kingstonian
K'S GO DOWN (UNDER) AT BRISBANE ROAD.

Kingstonian made the trip to East 10 backed by surely their largest away following in recent times to the comparitive splendour of Brisbane Road and all that it entailed. K's named the same squad who took on The O's on South London Soil ten days previous, whilst Orient made a number of minor changes.

Rather uncharacteristicly, the K's were vociferously cheered on by a huge contingent of travelling fans (estimates range from 700 to 1,100) from the off-set. Their cheers were almost amplified very early on when Stewart went prowling in the opposition area and had two headed attempts at the Orient goal. However, it didn't take long for the home team to find their feet. Matthew Joseph unleashed a credible shot following a good one-two and Amara Simba looked threatening as he opened up the play on a few occasions. Soon after this, Eddie Akuamoah took the ball along the right and got in behind the full-back before over-running the ball which almost fell kindly to Leworthy.

Unfortunately for the visitors, Orient took the lead after merely ten minutes. A cross from the right fell to Inglethorpe whose shot from point blank range was saved well by Farrelly. His rebound was then blocked by Stewart but there was no stopping Wim Walsehaerts following up and knocking the ball in from two yards out.

K's tried to reply quickly. Following a period of pressure, a foul on Geoff Pitcher was rewarded with a free-kick just outside, and to the left of the D. The midfielder got up and took the shot himself and placed it brilliantly slightly to the right of centre of the goal and just under the bar. Unfortunately, MacKenzie was equal to this shot and tipped the ball over for a corner.

The first moment of controversy was to occur soon after this. Goal-scorer, Walsehaerts was attacking on the left flank. As he tried to round Simon Stewart he took a dive, culminating in what looked like an oscar winnig performance, right in front of the visiting supporters' area. The referee did not give a free-kick to the home side and as the ball trickled out for a goal kick, had a brief word with the cheat.

Rattray received a caution soon after this, presumably for back-chat, before he was layed injured in the opposition's half. Play was not stopped (nor should it have been), but the referee's inhospitality to the injury seemed to fire up the K's team and focus their minds when it looked as if they were beginning to moan amongst each other. Tarkan Mustafa was the one K's player who never looked capable of even understanding the concept of losing his head. His defence on the right was extraordinary, and his crossing from this flank oft looked dangerous.

Another refereeing inconsistency came soon after when Stewart's challenge was deemed 'dangerous' as his opponent ducked down to head the ball at around head height. Head height for a 2 foot high man. Who was tying his laces. Standing in a hole. This decision seemed even more ludicrous when, seconds later, number 11, Beall, decided to give up playing football and attempted to mame any nearby player with considerable skill. Eddie Akuamoah was his unfortunate victim, and the culmination of studs to stomach and thigh saw him stretchered off, looking very worrying. Being so close to half-time, Chapple deicded to play out the first half with ten men to see if the winger could make a recovery during the interval.

Meanwhile, The O's chances were still coming thick and fast. Walsehaert flighted a superb cross to Beall, and on another occasion, the ball was put into the back of the net, though Smith was clearly offside. K's were relieved to make the interval with only a one goal deficit to recover.

Miraculously, Eddie did appear for the second half, and his bravery was recognised by the fans who cheered his every move for the next five minutes or so. But an Orient cross from the left temporarily thwarted this enthusiasm as Mustafa's hook clear only reached the edge of the box. Patterson, trying to clear things up, only made them worse when he had his name taken for a late sliding challenge. The resulting free-kick was wasted, and K's were soon on the attack. Eddie, being encouraged to no end, went on an amazing run picking the ball up half way inside his own half and running straight to the other end eventually winnning a corner.

However, things went from bad to badder after only four minutes of the second half. Inglethorpe's cross from the right was met perfectly by Simba. Despite furious claims by the K's defence and management that an offside decision should have been given for a player 'not intefering' on the edge of the area, the goal was given and K's were two down with heads beginning to drop to that of the level of the aforementioned two foot high man.

But there was still a long time left, and many a tale to tell in this game. K's seemed to throw everyone forward even at this stage of events. Simon Stewart was felled in the box, but no foul was given, Patterson and Crossley both hit good long shots and fine interplay between Leworthy, Pitcher and Corbett saw many balls flying into the mixer, but it never looked as though a finish would be provided. At this point, the injured Simon Stewart was replaced by the sprightly Gavin Holligan, and "not before time" was the impression of the majority of the Kingston faithful (and part-timers).

K's really began to play for their cup lives with half an hour remaining. Leworthy powered a good header goalward from a Paterson cross and a Luckett shot went close. Again a weak penalty appeal was made - this time for handball - but, quite rightly, it was not given. A goal almost came when, following a corner, the ball bounced out to Luckett near the edge of the box. His header was looped towards Corbett whose headed touch produced the best from MacKenzie in the sticks. As if his agony wasn't bad enough, he then received a nice elbow to the temple seconds later. MacKenzie also did well to intercept a Leworthy cross which would have hit Holligan's head a yard from the goal.

K's pressure finally told when, on 74 minutes, a life-line was salvaged from the substitute Holligan. The ball, hoofed over from the right, saw Leworthy and Smith challenge for possession. The ball spilled towards the 'keeper who should have caught the ball, but amazingly fumbled and handed Holligan the chance to slot home from two yards out. He duly accepted the invitation, and the cup tie was really balancing on a knife-edge. A few K's fans spilled onto the pitch amidst their celebrations, one of which was escroted from the ground for his wrong doings.

Chapple's tactics changed as the game entered the last quarter of an hour. Patterson played as a sweeper, with the remaining nine out-field players doing all they could to supply crosses to the mixer from which, it was hoped, someone could find the finishing touch. Suprisingly though, the skill level remained high, Pitcher and Leworthy were particularly collected, with Harris performing well as a make-shift striker and Patterson seeming a natural in the sweeper position. K's did manage to put the ball in the net, but the linesman's flag was raised long before the celebrations had commenced. MacKenzie fumbled again from a corner but there was no-one on hand to mop up the pieces. Scott Corbett went close from a Harris flick on and Orient were well under the cosh. The play was skillful, but the real diffence was the drive and determination of the team. The visiting support was giving its all to the cause, with Simon Stewart even joining in the chants, and this really did spur the players on.

K's pressure was relentless. Another two corners were won, bringing the total up to seven (compared to none for Orient). Geoff Pitcher, who really had his striking boots on today, was desperately unlucky in not being able to find Clarks' width fittings as his shots were only slightly off target. Another of his shots, five minutes from time had the hearts of all in their mouths. The K's contingent were sensing an equaliser if only there was enough time to get it.

The most controversial decision was made in the 87th minute. With K's pushing forward for the equaliser, the ball was cleared by the home team. With ten men defending, it was left to the sole striker to chase for the ball. He had the better of Patterson, so Farrelly, already on the edge of his area came out to challenge. About ten yards past the half-way line the ball was out of reach of both players, and Patterson ran back towards goal to cover. The forward, whom these writers have forgotten amongst the uproar, arrived just before the K's 'keeper and toe-poked the ball away. Farrelly was commited to the challenge and, though he made every attempt to get to the ball first, his effort was mis-timed. The striker certainly made the most of it, but then he was fouled, and was looking to get the 'keeper in as much trouble as possible. The ball went out for what would have been a throw on but the referee, Mr. R. Sole (as we've been led to believe), blew for the free-kick. He went straight to his back pocket, but was surrounded by K's players who were fearing the inevitable. Meanwhile Patterson stayed exactly where he was at the time of the challenge as if to demonstrate his position to both linesman and referee. The ref took time to deliver his decision, but that decision was to be a red-card, despite the fact that Patterson was clearly a covering defender and that the ball would have gone off for a throw anyway.

As soon as this decision was made, the players and officials of Kingstonian went to the linesman to ask if he intended to see anyone about his temporary bout of muteness. The linesman though, suffered a bout of deafness too and would not intervene. Farrelly was distraught by this decision. His anger, disgust and disbelief needed the strength of leading firefighter Wayne Brown to hold him back from doing something he wouldn't regret. As he was led away his heart sank and tears flowed and enforced the substitution of Leworthy for reserve goalkeeper Jerome John as K's played a 1-4-4 formation. Visting supporters, clearly outraged by the decision were remonstrating with the referee only to be attacked by a series of missiles thrown from the home fans in the seating behind them. Nearby police and officials seemed to view this in a more pleasant light than they did the previously mentioned K's fan and took no action, thus enfuriating the away fans more.

However, the sending off proved to be the final nail in the coffin, and despite the potential for a full scale riot both on and off the pitch, there was no way K's were going to come back in the remaining three minutes and the dye had been cast giving Leyton Orient the misfortune of a trip to Merseyside in January.

So David did not slay Goliath, or even a metaphorical being to represent the size of Orient, but Kingstonian can be very proud of what they achieved. The fact that they lost was both a travesty and a tragedy - a travesty in that Orient certainly weren't the better side overall, and a tragedy in that a win in front of such a large number of K's fans would have done the club the world of good. It was certainly the most passionate K's crowd that either of us have been involved with in our experience with the club, and a memorable occasion that will never be forgotten.