Worthing 2-0 Kingstonian
Rebels Hold Firm

Injury-plagued Kingstonian slumped to a two-nil defeat at Worthing in the Ryman Premier League, thanks largely to poor defending of set pieces. K's had more possession than the Rebels, but were unable to make good use of it against a well-organised defensive unit.

Mazin Ahmad came into the line-up for Dean Souyana with Mark Scotchford dropping back to left-back, Liam Collins replaced Scott Steele and Mark Rhodes came in for Matt Pattison. K's could only name three substitutes, such was the extent of the injury woes.

Kingstonian started the brighter of the two sides, and had a lot of the ball in the last third of the pitch. However, they struggled to find an accurate final ball. In the seventh minute, Frazer Muscat's cross went over Elliot Onochie's head and was cleared for a corner.

It wasn't until the twelfth minute that K's managed a shot on goal. Collins found Onochie who turned Clay Lamont and sent the ball back to Collins. The winger fired his shot over and wide, however.

After twenty minutes difficult minutes, the home side began to improve. Owen Hill headed wide from a corner, and then in the twenty third minute Jon Coke slipped over. This allowed Andy Alexander to set up Worthing skipper Paul Rogers, but his shot was tame and Lance Key easily gathered it.

Three minutes later Collins hit a powerful shot from 30 yards, but it went wide of Mark Ormerod's goal. On the half hour mark K's had another chance, thanks to a superb cross-field long ball by Giles Coke. Collins controlled the ball well and found himself in behind the defence, albeit wide of the goal. Onochie came close to getting a touch on his low cross, but was unable to get there and Stewart Holmes cleared.

Three minutes later and Worthing had a great chance. Hill was unmarked in the K's penalty area and had time to control a cross on his chest. Thankfully for the visitors, he snatched at his volley and sent it well wide of Key's goal.

K's were still struggling to create more than half-chances. Onochie had a shot from the corner of the penalty box, but it was straight at Ormerod. Then in the fortieth minute a corner created panic in the K's goalmouth. Nobody was able to clear the ball, and Alexander pounced to poke the ball past Key and put the Rebels a goal up.

Two minutes later the match took an ugly turn. Richard Taylor brought down Shaun Grice with a late tackle. Grice kicked out whilst on the ground, leaving the referee with no alternative than to send him off. Taylor was booked for the incident.

The home side quickly re-organised as Alexander was withdrawn for Mark Pulling. This was not before home boss Alan Pook was banished to the stands though following an argument with the match officials.

Half-time soon followed, and Steele looked to capitalise on Grice's dismissal, as he brought an extra striker on in Reggie Savage, replacing Rhodes.

Five minutes after the break Savage was involved in the thick of the action. Ahmad squared to him after a tricky run down the left, but Savage snatched at the shot and it comfortably cleared the crossbar. Two minutes later Key was in action again, having to tip a Phil Ruggles header over.

K's won themselves a succession of corners, but not helped by being without the height of Bradford they could not take advantage of them. Then just before the hour mark Worthing scored from a corner of their own. Sam Rents' corner went deep into the box, Lamont headed back across goal and it was all too easy for Rogers to blast the ball into the net.

K's kept plugging away, but could not get the ball to break kindly. Shortly after the second goal Onochie crossed for Jon Coke with the goalkeeper out of position, but he was tackled and the ball cleared. In the sixty fifth minute a long range volley by Bernie Asante was easily saved, and a minute later Ormerod punched a Scotchford cross well clear.

Asante was replaced by Williams as K's looked for to get back into the game, but Worthing shut up shop very effectively and Ormerod was rarely troubled. Savage had two decent chances in the last 10 minutes, but fired too close to Ormerod after Ahmad sent him through, and then headed wide after Muscat's deep cross.

It was a disappointing result for Kingstonian, but credit has to be given to Worthing who defended superbly with 10 men. It was not a bad K's performance though, and although this result broke their run of three games unbeaten they will be hoping to bounce back in the FA Cup on Saturday. They will have to work on both their final ball and their defending of corners however if results are going to consistently get better.