Scarborough 0-1 Kingstonian
EDDIE CHIPS IN AT MCCAIN

Victory - as defined in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (ninth edition) - is "the process of defeating an enemy in battle or war...". Whilst this Nationwide Conference game wasn't quite a war, the last half an hour or so did turn into a battle of sorts. But one that the K's team which traveled up to the seaside was more than prepared to enter.

The same eleven as started on Bank Holiday Monday appeared at the McCain stadium, meaning that Phil Wingfield is still in Chapple's first choice team. Derek Allen had also kept his place at the heart of the defence, and this was to prove a good decision by the management. Old-K Marcus Jones was in Scarborough's team.

The first real action of the game came when Colin Luckett strode forward and took a long shot at Kevin Martin's goal. The goalkeeper did well to claw the ball away from the top-right hand corner, but this was to be the only chance for the visitors for a while.

Derek Allen managed to prove his worth four times within the space of five minutes - perhaps suggesting that Scarborough were getting a few too many chances - most notably when Brian McGinty was prevented from shooting by a quite superb tackle just inside the K's box. Any slight mistake would have seen a penalty awarded, but his timing was impeccable. Ian Milbourne had a great chance just after this slightly to the right of the K's goal, but his shot was ever so slightly off target, managing to strike the front of the roof under which the travelling Londoners were sheltering from the sweltering heat.

Although 'Boro had had the best chances, they were not really the better side. K's had looked fairly solid at the back, and reliable going forward. They proved this on just 14 minutes when a long pass from Gary Patterson, stood on the half-way line at the time, found Eddie Akuamoah racing through the slow defence. He took a second to look up at the advancing goalkeeper and lobbed the ball superbly over/around him. The goalkeeper's "momentum" saw him collide with the striker, but nobody really cared about that when the ball took one bounce and then crossed the line for the opening goal.

A minute later and it looked as though Kingstonian would double their lead when a left foot shot from Geoff Pitcher from the edge of the box cleared the Seadogs' crossbar by mere millimeters, before Eddie attempted to provide a replay of his goal. This time the ball was played through by Pitcher and Eddie's lob didn't quite have the power on it to cross the line. Dave Leworthy was racing in to try and connect with the shot but the goalkeeper read the bounce rather better and collected off the veteran's head.

Either side of this chance Scarborough thought that they were back in the game. A quick corner saw Darren Roberts and Simon Betts combine well to set up Gareth McAlinden. His header, from in front of goal and from four yards out, was destined for the net. Or so everybody thought. Somehow the midfielder managed to head upwards rather than straight, and the ball made the sweetest of sounds - "thwack" - on the K's crossbar. It has to be said that the K's woodwork has now been struck four times in the last two games, but then how often is it that K's get the rub of the green ?

Just before the break they had another chance. Farrelly competed with Shaun Dennison for a high ball which the opponent won. Milbourne crossed and this time it was McGinty who missed a gilt edged chance to equalise, striking well over whilst Farrelly was still getting back into position. The half had gone well for K's. The goal was a beauty and 'Boro had missed some fairly easy chances to equalise. Perhaps K's were lucky to go in one-nil up, but they had showed great determination against the league old-boys.

The second half was when the battle lines were drawn. Scarborough were clearly fired up for the next period and set out to prove that they were the equals, if not betters, of their opponents. But Ian Milbourne managed to disprove this theory within five minutes of the restart when he missed the easiest of chances. Phil Wingfield managed to fall over his own feet whilst chasing the striker but, with many K's players, officials and supporters calling for a free-kick, the referee Mr. D.Drysdale allowed the game to proceed. Scarborough took their time to craft the chance but, when they did, the ball was sitting eight yards from goal, perfectly still, in front of his own fans and in exactly the right place for Milbourne to power home. The fact that he didn't says little for Scarborough's chances of returning to the league straight away. The fact that he actually managed to miss the goal must have given K's a great lift.

Phil Wingfield again managed to call attention to himself when he got involved in a tussle with Shaun Dennison. Again the veteran winger came off the worst, and again this writer was left to feel that he had nobody to blame but himself. Anyway, the result was that, after lengthy treatment and a few minutes limping around the pitch getting in the way, the decision was made to replace him. Dwight Marshall came on, and Eddie switched to the left, leaving K's with a formation which many people would like to see from the start of every game. It certainly seemed to work well, as Leworthy was given a great chance almost straight away - a header from six yards out which was well saved for a corner.

Mark Tyrell and Stuart Morris both entered the referee's notebook for fouls on K's players, and they were swiftly followed by Graeme Carr. The latter of these was an outrageously late foul on Gary Patterson, who almost immediately left the pitch on a stretcher. This seemed to encourage the referee to get his yellow card out, which he had seemed reluctant to do in this case until the St John's men and women appeared. Luckily, Patterson was ok, and even more luckily, Danny Smith came on to replace him.

Darren Roberts fired wide just before K's thought that they'd be given a penalty. Marshall chased a long Pitcher ball and was clearly pushed out of the way by Dennison so that his goalkeeper could catch. The penalty wasn't given, and K's couldn't really grumble as they'd probably been on the good side of a few decisions during the afternoon. Most notably when Tarkan Mustafa headed off for a corner only to see the lines-boy give a throw to K's!

Derek Allen, solid throughout the game, had however saved his best for last. McAlinden was again given a chance in the box, but yet another split-second-perfect tackle prevented him from getting in a shot, which was to prove to be one of the last chances for the home side.

Eddie had also saved some entertainment for late on. Twice he got the ball and ran into the corner of the pitch and simply stood around whilst two 'Boro players tried to get the ball off him. They failed both times, with the travelling fans giving Eddie rapturous applause each time that he won a throw. Tarkan Mustafa then tried to get in on the act, but managed only to step on the ball. But in the process he'd managed to fool both defenders and was then left to cross into the almost vacant penalty area.

The end of the game saw the yellow shirted ones ecstatic. They'd come to an ex-league ground, defended solidly, created chances of their own and won the three points. Scarborough did have chances, but K's had enough of their own to counter the "should have been a draw" argument. Eddie was superb, as were Derek Allen and Gary Patterson. In fact the whole team was. This was one of the best away league displays from K's for a long time, and the team should take heart from it - especially as they now sit in fourth place in the table.