Chessington & Hook United 0-4 Kingstonian
WORLD OF ADVENTURES

Kingstonian would be the natural favourites as they travelled away to Combined Counties side Chessington and Hook United for their first match of the Surrey Senior Cup. A weakened Chessington side, courtesy of three suspensions and an injured goalkeeper, proved no match for Kingstonian, despite some key players being rested. A quad of goals, two from James Rose, one from Kenny Ojukwa and a first for the K's from Paul Wetherall, ensured progression to the next round.

Kingstonian started a weaker side than usual. Tony Reid, Richard Taylor, Scott Corbett, Wayne Noad and Bashiru Alimi all started on the bench. Tommy Moorhouse made his first start alongside Mick Brady, who undertook the armband.

The first half saw two goals for the K's, but it was a less than confident start. The match started pretty slowly, and if anything Chessington and Hook looked the better side during the opening exchanges. Ten minutes in K's had their first chance. A good corner from Mazin Ahmad was headed over the bar by Moorhouse. Little more was made though, and Chessington continued to push forward, but with little to show for it.

Half an hour in a K's long ball was played over towards James Rose. The Chessington and Hook defender alongside him slipped, leaving Rose one on one with the keeper. Chessington's second choice keeper Andy Wynn spread himself well but was unable to reach Rose's well placed shot and the ball slotted into the bottom corner.

Kingstonian suddenly looked alive after the goal, and it took just five minutes to double the advantage. Ryan Adams picked up the ball on the right wing. He controlled well before beating a brace of defenders to put in a cross. The cross came right at Wynn, but he was unable to control it and the ball dropped just in front of the line, with Rose on hand to belt home from a full foot and a half out. There were a number of further chances for Kingstonian from a handful of Ahmad free kicks and corners before the break, but Chessington and Hook held out well.

Late into stoppage time Chessington could have pulled one back. An excellent low and powerful shot was stopped only by a diving save from Mark Torcaso, ensuring Kingstonian went into the break with a two goal lead for the first time this season.

The second half started with as little pace as the first one had, with a quiet first ten minutes. Just as in the first half, it was Chessington who first applied the pressure, and ten minutes in a through ball to striker Daniel Martin provided a good opportunity. With plenty of space to run at goal, Torcaso made the brave decision to come out and charge the ball down. He got a hand on the ball and tipped it on, but Martin kept on the ball. Adams had been running back since the through ball and slid in just before the shot could be taken and cleared the danger.

Kingstonian didn't take too long to press on though, and a quarter of an hour in a third was added to the tally. Ahmad put a long cross over the box to substitute Tony Reid. Reid tried to slot the ball along the ground to Ojukwa, but it slipped between the striker and the keeper, leaving Paul Wetherall with a half open goal. Careful not to miscue the shot, Wetherall took the time to control and turn before putting away his first goal in a hooped shirt from a yard out.

It only took a couple more minutes for Kingstonian to take the tally to four. A long Ahmad corner was headed goalward by Reid. Wynn got a glove to it but only managed to tip it on to the front of the bar, and it bounced nicely in the path of Ojukwa, who headed home for his tenth of the season.

With 20 minutes remaining, another Ahmad corner was deemed to be handled in the box, and a spot kick was given. Half the K's players seemed to want to add their name to the score sheet, but Ahmad won the argument and stepped up. The shot was at medium height and the keeper made the save look easy. The ball then bounced awkwardly and Wynn struggled to reclaim. As he had half control on the ball, Ahmad bundled into him, causing the ball to drop into the goal. The referee gave a free kick and the fifth goal was not to be.

There was one last chance for a consolation goal for Chessington and Hook. Mark Torcaso miss-kicked a back pass which landed at the feet of Daniel Moorhouse - brother of K's Tommy. Luckily for K's, Moorhouse elected to not take the quick shot and run in, leaving just enough time for Torcaso to get back across the goal and cover the ball.

Kingstonian wholeheartedly deserved to win, but it is not unfair to Chessington and Hook United to say that the challenge presented was far lower than the standard the K's have had to face recently, and will have to face again in the near future. On Saturday Kingstonian travel away to Canvey Island in the FA Trophy, who are a full 91 league positions higher than Chessington and Hook. This match will have been a real confidence boost, but Kingstonian need to keep working to maintain the high standard of football we've seen in the last few weeks.