Kingstonian 2-1 Reading
READING THE RIOT ACT

Photo: kingstonian.net

This third friendly of this pre-season - against, it has to be said, a reserve Reading side, continued to provide evidence that things are looking up at Kingsmeadow. Whatever the status of the opposition's players, they were all full-time professionals, on the books of a club who came within a whisker of the First Division last season. And a two-one win speaks volumes for the new regime at Kingstonian.

Another load of wholesale changes took place both before and during the match, with some fringe players - most notably Mark Boyce, Mark Jones and Ronnie Green - given the chance to impress from the off. Except the first chance fell to Reading's Nathan Tyson who saw his first minute shot fly just wide.

Peter Barnsby continued the impressive start to his K's career with a superb tackle at the near post after a right-wing cross thwarted Tyson again, and Mark Boyce showed that his attacking prowess might just have improved over the summer break - most notably when one run of his saw a cross fly across the face of goal.

Photo: kingstonian.net

Reading hit the bar from out of the blue with some eight minutes of the half remaining with Lance Key looking on with worry, and then they scored just a couple of minutes later. A good run by Scott Williams ended at the edge of K's area when he unleashed a left-footed shot. Key got a solid left hand to the ball, yet didn't manage to keep it out as it spun into the bottom-right hand corner of the net. Some onlookers suggested that he really should have kept it out - whilst some of the nicer ones mentioned that the sun might have been in his eyes.

Kingstonian started the second half by showing that they were determined to keep their unbeaten record intact. First David Ocquaye headed a Mark Beard cross just wide, and some moments later Barnsby rose to connect with James Pinnock's corner to head the equaliser. It was a simple goal, but one that was well deserved.

Photo: kingstonian.net

With substitutions making the game even more disjointed (or less-jointed?) Reading tested the woodwork for the second time. A terrible foul by Mark Jones was rewarded with just an indirect free-kick, and the number 15 smashed his shot against the top of the bar. This time it was Adrian Blake who was the worried onloo

Photo: kingstonian.net

The second goal came for K's from the most entertaining incident since Wednesday night's brawl. A superb ball down the left found Pinnock who did very well to control the ball with his first touch. He ran towards the goal line before John Mackie scythed into his waist with both feet. The referee quite rightly gave K's the free-kick and had a stern word or eight with the aggressor.

Boyce took the kick and played it short to Dave Clarke who was stood unmarked some twenty yards from goal. One touch controlled the ball and the second sent the ball flying past Jamie Youngs in goal to keep up the new midfielder's goal-a-game record. Yet the entertainment wasn't over. Mackie was still fuming over the previous incident and had to be held back from remonstrating further with the referee, who then told the Reading bench that they would have to replace Mr Mackie. He skulked off with the K's crowd's taunts in his ears.

Photo: kingstonian.net

The game ended with Ocquaye going close from the right, but in the end 2-1 just might have been the fairest result. Both K's sides looked impressive, with notable performances from Barnsby, Pinnock and Clarke. And even though this was "only" a reserve side, two wins and one draw from games with Southend, Bournemouth and Reading must be making the other Ryman League sides sweat just that little bit more.