Kingstonian 2-0 Staines Town
GEOFFREY-COME-LATELY
After being within two minutes of losing the first encounter with Staines nine days previously, it was with something akin to relief that the Kingstonian team took the field, still able to defend their trophy. The weather had done its best to upset the supporters' March and Aprils in the intervening period meaning that neither team had played since the third round. K's fielded the same eleven as then, apart from Sammy Winston who took over from Ronnie Green up front. Well we can't let the youngster feel like he's a part of the team now can we? But then with the recent signing of Ian Duerden (that's D-U-E-R-D-E-N) Sammy had something to prove to all.
The match started with the hoops attacking the building site, and with the "Old Gold" shirted ones (seriously) cheered on by a large - or perhaps massive - number of supporters. And it was those visitors who almost cheered the first goal. Mark Butler sprinted down the left wing, cut-back to Craig Reilly and Gavin Kelly did well to save the early shot. K's showed that they were up for it when a Phil Wingfield cross was almost met by the in-rushing Eddie Akuamoah. Unfortunately the striker's diminutiveness proved to be his undoing as the ball sailed over his head.
David Everitt almost peaked (sic) at the right time when he cut in from the left and saw his shot well saved once more by Kelly. Just after this and the striker had another chance - this one from a free-kick on the edge of the box. The Kingstonian team - with many builders and ex-builders included - proved hopeless at erecting a wall on time and Everitt was unlucky to see his quick free-kick tipped wide for just a corner.
The most amusing incident of the half saw (uh-uh) Simon Stewart show his silky skills by taking on, and beating, two hapless Staines midfielders before ballooning his shot some twenty yards wide and ten yards over. Pythagoras would have told us that he'd missed the target by 22.36 yards, but he hadn't bothered turning up. Just like so many others. To be honest, the Staines-massive may well have thought that they were unlucky not to be ahead at the break, but level they were - thanks mainly to Gavin Kelly's saves and Phil Wingfield's endeavour.
The second period almost saw an early test of the FA's new "Law XVI: Gary Patterson" when he committed a foul, got pushed and retaliated in kind. Luckily a caution was all that was merited according to referee, Mr G.Chapman. Some in the visiting end side thought that the man in black had gotten this wrong, but his next decision was absolutely spot on.
K's attacked and Sammy Winston received the ball on the left, darting in between two defenders. A third came in and committed a foul on the edge of the box, yet just as the whistle met the lips of the referee, he saw that Colin Luckett had been following up and was in position for a shot. The referee allowed Luckett to take his shot, and shoot he did - right footed and oh-so-sweetly. Matthew Lovett in goal got the slightest of touches but did nothing to divert the ball from its desired destination and Luckett celebrated his 301st K's game with a stunning goal.
The goal really signalled the end of the match as a contest, although Staines didn't exactly give up. But K's were by now able to attack with something looking almost like confidence, and it was just a matter of time before the second goal came.
Pitcher almost got it when he hit a free-kick well, but Lovett saved. The follow-up saw a mad scramble involving most of the players, with Winston going close, but the massed ranks of defenders cleared. Then, with a couple of minutes left, Winston performed miracles on the left to find Eddie. A defender got a touch but the ball fell straight to Patterson, whose volley wasn't far wide.
The second finally came in injury time. It was preceded by a good spell of Staines pressure, but K's held firm and a clearance allowed Winston to touch the ball to Pitcher giving him half of the field to run into. He got as close to Lovett as possible before despatching the ball into the bottom-right hand corner of the net to secure K's entry into the fourth round. The finish needed composure, and Pitcher didn't disappoint.
The last kick saw Eddie go close after cutting in from the right, but a third goal would have been harsh on Staines. They probably shaded the first match and definitely did the first half of the replay. But in the end K's did look to be deserved winners, as they were very much on top after 8.30pm. And it was the FA Trophy, wasn't it? What's that proverb? "Good thing always come in threes"? That's the one.
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Mon 22nd Jan 2001 |
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Kingsmeadow Stadium |
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426 |
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FA Trophy 3rd round replay |
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Kingstonian | 2 |
Luckett, Pitcher |
Staines Town | 0 |
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1 | Gavin Kelly | | |
2 | Mark Beard | | 12 |
3 | Colin Luckett | | |
4 | Derek Allan | | |
5 | Eddie Saunders | | |
6 | Simon Stewart | | |
7 | Gary Patterson | | 14 |
8 | Geoff Pitcher | | |
9 | Sammy Winston | | |
10 | Eddie Akuamoah | | |
11 | Phil Wingfield | | 16 |
12 | Mark Boyce | | 2 |
13 | Adrian Blake | | |
14 | David Bass | | 7 |
15 | Ronnie Green | | |
16 | Mark Jones | | 11 |
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Sammy Winston |
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Gary Ekins |
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