Kingstonian 2-2 Southend United
"WHO'S THAT BLOKE THERE THEN?"

Photo: kingstonian.net

The last time people assembled at Kingsmeadow for a football match things were very different. Lord Archer was a free man, England had an impressive cricket team and Genoa was a nice place to spend your summer holidays. As well as all of that, Kingstonian FC were managed by Geoff Chapple and they had three England semi-pro internationals in their squad. How things change.

This first appearance from the new-look Kingstonian was eagerly awaited by many - although you wouldn't have known that from the attendance. Still, we can't be picky. Those who did attend spent most of their time either nudging their friends to ask "who's the number seven again?" or discussing their antics over the close season.

But amongst this backdrop there was a football match taking place. A slightly strange one in that K's fielded two completely different sides, whilst Southend - unbeaten in their four pre-season friendlies to date - used the opportunity to give some of their blank shirts an airing, which just added to the confusion.

Photo: kingstonian.net

K's took to the field with seven new faces, but showed enough to instil some hope in the hearts of the home faithful. This being the first outing together, it was pleasing to see some desire to pass the ball around - although the lack of height up front may well have been the deciding factor when considering a hoof up-field.

Mark Royal - presumably a trialist - was given the first real opportunity of the day when James Pinnock sent in a good deep cross from the right. Royal headed wide, but the Southend defence were worried enough to go into "blame everyone else" mode.

The visitors should really have taken the lead on the half hour when Tesfaye Bramble ran rings around Colin Luckett on the Shrimpers' right and pulled back to Alan McLeod stood on the edge of the six yard box. Quite how he managed to balloon the ball ten yards over from that close in would require a good explanation.

The Southend defence showed their frailties once more when a long ball dropped in between Royal and Leon Cort. Ex-Woking man Darryl Flahavan interjected but did no more than palm the ball aside giving Royal the chance to chip from twenty yards out. He didn't get quite enough air on the ball though, and Flahavan caught easily.

Photo: kingstonian.net

The first goal of the season did come in front of the away end though, and it was well worth the eleven week wait. Steve Barnes cut the ball back to Luckett on the left, his square pass found Steve McKimm and he set up Dave Clarke twenty yards out. A shimmy sent two defenders the wrong way, and a powerful right-footed shot beat Flahavan conclusively. And so one-nil to Kingstonian - ah, what wonderful memories.

The second half saw the "second string" side out in the hoops, but they did all they could to convince their on-looking management duet that they don't deserve to remain there. Apart from Adrian Blake that is - who had the worst possible start in front of the new man.

Three minutes had gone when Bramble took off on a run which beat Eddie Saunders and Sean Thurgood. Blake came out, Bramble side-stepped him and Blake took his legs away. A penalty was rightly given and Kevin Maher stepped up to send Blake the wrong way to level the score.

Eddie Saunders - who opened his K's goalscoring account in the "almost" friendly with Yeovil towards the end of last season - almost doubled his tally from a right wing corner. Dave Bass headed back and an overhead kick from the centre-half had to be headed off the line.

Minutes later though, and K's did have the lead again. Danny Bolt - presumably unwanted by Bristol Rovers - sent in a free-kick from the left, Saunders tried a deft touch which went the other way, but this left Thurgood with the chance to score from six yards. The youngster rather snatched at it, but he couldn't really miss from so close in and his effort nestled in the far corner.

Photo: kingstonian.net

With fourteen minutes to go Southend got the equaliser which ensured that their unbeaten start to the season continued. A free-kick was sent into the area, Blake went up with an attacker, the linesman flagged for a foul, the referee ignored said flag and substitute Ben Smith swept the ball home from the edge of the box.

The visitors should really have left with all three points (or whatever they're called in friendlies) when they had four chances within twenty seconds of each other just before the end. Jason Harris had the first when he was played in for a one-on-one with Blake, but the keeper redeemed himself with an impressive save. The ball dropped to somebody else, but Blake saved once more. This then fell back to Harris who headed against the crossbar. The ball then dropped to the other person whose shot was cleared off of the line. Adrenalin pumping stuff.

And so the game ended in an honourable draw. As for the future - it's always difficult to tell when both teams are at such different stages of their preparation, and particularly when the game is as fragmented as this one was, what with so many changes. But the new signings all looked good enough - let's just hope everybody can learn who's who quickly.