Kettering Town 2-1 Kingstonian
BACK-HANDER

Kingstonian made the trip to Kettering in this midweek tie on the back of two wins and were looking to make it three on the trot to keep up with the leaders. Yet a mixture of poor refereeing and an all round poor performance saw the K's leave Rockingham Road with their tails between their legs.

K's again named a settled side. Akuamoah was again left on the bench as the unimpressive (thus far) Wingfield was given the number 11 shirt. As the game sprung to life, so did the chances. After just two minutes Leworthy was in action. From a free-kicik on the right, a deft touch from Marshall gave the Conference Top Scorer a chance. However, he hit the post from the range that you would expect Dave to score from, just to the left of the goal. Still, it was early days...

At the other end the K's defence again looked disorganised. A poor back pass by Crossley put pressure on Farralley. He did clear the ball, was then fouled by a late challenge, and then saw his clearance only got so far as to give the home team a chance from which they should have done better. The chance wasted and Crossley and Farralley breathed a sigh of relief. Soon after this, Banya beat the off-side trap and was given a chance but the angle on the left was too tight to do anything with it. This led to quite a distinction between the K's keeper and his skipper as to whose fault it was. As the nerves began to show, Pitcher's nerve endings began to hurt as he was hacked down to the floor and received a lengthy amount of attention from the K's physio. He got up, but only after a barrage of abuse from the home fans in the nearby main stand. Remember this. It's important.

From a corner, Farralley produced a good catch, which must have helped his confidence after his impression of an England cricket fielder at the week-end. Yet, his defence was at times letting him down. Neat triangular play in the Poppies midfield let to Adams putting in a good shot.

Phil Wingfield was desperately trying to prove that he is worth keeping Eddie out of the team for. Indeed, he made a couple of good runs, and at one time put in a very dangerous cross. Not dangerous enough though. Yet, back in the K's goal mouth, problems occurred between Crossley and Farralley again from a back pass. The keeper's clearance hit Diuk on the way, and could have gone anywhere. The pressure was really on K's. Banya was given far too much time in the area after a pass from Vowden, and turned and shot eventually winning a corner. From this, it was Wingfield of all people who got his head in the way of a header which was heading goalwards. Immediately after this, McNamara had a headed chance, closely followed by a Banya attempt and Duik winning a corner. K's would be happy to get in at half time on level pegging.

As the half ended Kettering were very much on top. An overhead kick by Banya following a cross by Abrahams was a bit too spectacular to bother Farralley, but when it fell to Hudson, he really should have done better than firing over from ten yards or so. K's then got niggly. Pitcher and Crossley were both booked for fouls, and Patterson joined them in the book for dissent. Just watch those suspension points add up...

Kingstonian, so far a second half team this season, were shooting towards the 61 fans in the terracing behind the goal in the second half. And they started this half as well as they started the first. Pitcher and Patterson linking up nicely and allowing Marshall a shot which went off for a corner. Yet soon after this Kettring got back into their stride. In the 50th minute, Farralley was forced to header clear on the edge of his box. From this Patterson could only partially clear. It was Duik who followed up hitting a powerful drive from just out-side of the penalty area, beating the K's keeper as it flew into the left of the goal, to put the home team one up.

K's tried to counter. A long Simon Stewart throw into the area caused problems but there were too many feet in the way, and the ball was soon cleared. Simon Stewart was then called upon at the other end and did well to put in a fine covering header. Meanwhile Patterson and McNamara were involved in a bit of argy bargy which the ref had to break up. Patto, already on a booking was skating on thin ice.

A good K's opportunity occurred following a one-two betweent Marshall and Patterson which saw Marshall's cross go towards the danger area. Lewrothy was there but could only handle it, with his back to goal. Amazingly, the referee didn't see the ball strike his arm and play continued. How we laughed...

But on 59 minutes no-one was laughing. A corner for Kettering on the left was whipped in towards the area. Farralley was far away from the ball (we'll forget about how he was obstructed for now...) and it looked to be sailing passed the danger area. But Norman managed to rise above the rest and punch the ball into the net. Volleyball style. Maradona style. Cheating style. This caused outrage amongst the K's players. As the referee ran back towards the centre circle, a mass ensemble of yellow shirted players ran after him clearly indicating that the hand was used. Remember Shilton and co. in 86 ?? The scene was very similar. Such a reaction could only have been caused by such a misdemeanour but the ref was having none of it. His assistant looked away hoping no-one would ask of his opinion. But the protests continued. Farralley received a booking for his, whilst Crossley continued arguing with his hands well behind his back (he was already on a booking) using his captain's arm band as a reason to speak for the team. The protests were quite understandable, but quite frustratingly never going to do anything. The goal stood. Kettering were 2-0 up and it was sickening.

To say K's were fired up after this is an understatement. So in many ways it was no real surprise when they got one back after just a minute. Luckett's cross was expertly headed in by Leworthy from about ten yards bringing his tally to 6 out of 3 starts. At 2-1 down there was all to play for.

Chapple finally decided to put on Eddie and brought Wingfield off for him. On came Eddie to make his 300th appearance for the club, and hopefully some more chances for Kingstonian. K's remained fired up. Luckett linked with Marshall who won a corner. From the corner, the keeper managed to receive an injury. He was treated for a very long time in the six yard box. Understandably play couldn't really go on without him, but it was very frustrating that the impetus should be taken out of Kingstonian's play by the treatment which went on for so long. As K's fans began to complain (not anywhere near as vociferously as the stand fans did to Pitcher in the first half (remember that?)), the physio gesticulated to the gathered K's-ites. Naughty man. Eventually the keeper was okay and play continued.

Soon after this, Patterson was fouled by Norman. The resulting free-kick was pumped in by Luckett, flicked on by Leworthy and sailed towards the back post. Any touch at the back post would have resulted in a goal, but Stewart was agonisingly inches away from making contact. The ball went just wide and with it went K's best chance of an equaliser. However, he did make contact with the keeper, and as he sought more treatement, the referee was having none of it and forced a substitution to be made. On came the sub keeper. And the physio got some stick.

Maybe it was this assertiveness that made the ref reluctant to give any other decisions. Banya took a dive in the penalty area. No award was given. Neither was a card. At the other end Akuamoah was tugged so much it looked like the defender wanted his shirt. Contact started about five yards inside the area, yet a free-kick was given about five yards outside of the area, as Eddie was running away from the goal. At the other end, Hudson's shot from wide on the right looked very close to being in. Indeed most of the terracing on that side thought it was. Yet it wasn't and allowed K's a few more chances. One of which was another penalty appeal, from a hand raised which clearly struck the ball around the penalty sopt. Again the referee missed this hand, maybe he just couldn't see that high up.

He then continued to miss the niggling challenges by Vowden on Akuamoah who was causing him real problems. As K's pushed forward they left themselves open at the back. Norman went close with a header from an Adams corner. Farralley had to come out of his area to dispossess Abrahams and then saw McNamara try a lob shot from there.

But there were to be no more goals. K's lost again to Kettering making it the third time in a row in the league. But on a different day it could have been a different result. K's made their chances, and a point or three might easily have been gained had the referee seen to crucial handballs. We are still to see K's play a full game in the way we wish we were accustomed to. Losing to last season's runners up on their turf is not an awful result. But it certainly felt like it.