Kingstonian 2-0 Woking
WOKING LOSE HARRIS-MENT CASE

For the third time in less than a month, K's lined up against Woking, this time determined, or so it seemed, to avenge the defeat and draw in the league. The fact that this was by far the most important of the trilogy was clear by the team's determined faces, which looked exactly the same as they had at Wembley for the last such important fixture. The fire, and subsequent traffic chaos, on the A3 was the only possible reason for the terribly low crowd, when over 2,000 had been expected. But for all that, the 416 present were treated to a game of such passion and effort as hasn't been seen for some years at Kingsmeadow.

The first team were out for both sides, showing that both managers were as determined as the other. Yet it was K's who started the best, and indeed took the lead on just eight minutes. Robin Taylor passed to Wingfield on the left and his cross found Leworthy at the far post. He touched the ball back across goal and Gary Patterson scored to give K's the lead. The hugely vocal crowd erupted, with the result that the roof at the Kingston Road end almost came off. The players were ecstatic and totally overdid the celebrations. We all knew that it was an important game, but there were still 82 minutes to go.

Pitcher went close with a shot from the right, and Leworthy sent a chipped shot inches wide after Wingfield had set him up. The pressure was all coming from the hooped shirts, and the reason wasn't even that Woking weren't trying. K's were just so clearly superior to their Surrey counterparts that the Cards just couldn't get a touch. And the superiority was expressed in a numerical sense after about half an hour. A long ball was played down the K's left, which Eddie and Goddard chased. The Woking defender was the favourite, but Eddie was just so determined that he managed to shoulder him off of the ball. Determination was again the winner.

Eddie crossed to Leworthy who was standing at the far post. His volley was perfection itself, as he gave K's a two goal lead. The striker was so eager to score that he had even taken into account the fact that his shot would deflect off of Danzey's back, ensuring that the ball would still elude Flahavan in goal. And so Leworthy had scored his first goal in three months. And it looked as though K's determination would be rewarded with a cricket score. Well, an England cricket score in any case.

Woking did manage to get out of their own half on three occasions in the half. The first two were when they kicked off after the K's goals, the third of which saw Darren Hay shoot wide after being set up by Hollingdale. And even then Farrelly had the shot easily covered. At the other end Patterson headed just wide after being set up by Leworthy on the right.

The second half was just more of the same. K's totally outplayed Woking, and as such there were few chances to take note off, as the home side were clearly saving their energy for the two-legged semi-finals of this prestigious competition.

Perkins headed wide on a rare foray forward for the visitors, and then the teams' determination spilled over into unpleasantness. From eye-witness reports, it seems that, while waiting in the K's penalty box for a free-kick, Darren Hay and Mark Harris got involved in a disagreement. The subject seems to have been who had the hardest head, which was tested by a headbutt from Harris and a fist from Hay. The winner on this occasion was clearly Harris, as he only had a little bit of blood in his mouth as he trotted off after receiving the red card (on advice from the linesman). The referee clearly felt sorry for Hay, being on the losing side and all, and allowed him to continue to play on with just a yellow card for his efforts.

Yet even with a one man advantage Woking came nowhere near getting back into the game. And it wasn't as if they weren't trying, it was just that K's were so clearly better at everything on the night. And with just a minute left K's allowed Hay the easiest chance to pull a (face-saving) goal back, yet Hay was so obviously aware that this would have made the game seem close that he sent the ball high over the K's bar.

The whistle went and K's celebrated securing a place in the semi-finals of the most important non-league competition. The result hadn't been in doubt at any time from the first kick. And it wasn't as if Woking hadn't been trying.....