Dorking 0-3 Kingstonian
CHICKS ROASTED BY K'S

Kingstonian's encouraging start to pre-season continued as they comprehensively outplayed Dorking and ran out three-nil winners. The team looked much sharper than in their opener at Selsey a week ago and created themselves many more chances.

With Chuck Martini, Mazin Ahmad and Richard Taylor bolstering the ranks of a Kingstonian XI playing at Colliers Wood, it was not quite a full-strength K's side that took to the field. Alan Hughes returned in goal, though hopefully the trimming of his shaggy mane won't have diminished his popularity with K's younger fans. As predicted in the local press former Sutton and Bromley man Mark Watson was trying out up front alongside Tony Reid.

On eight minutes he flicked a corner on to Reid whose header was cleared off the line by a Dorking defender. K's took the lead ten minutes later when Bashiru Alimi's low twenty-five yard drive went through the hands of the goalkeeper and into the net.

This spurred K's on and they began to completely dominate the game. Reid's strength saw him win the ball in a good position and tee up Paul Wiltshire on the left wing. His cross found Watson who beat the goalkeeper with a low shot only to see it agonisingly rebound off the inside of the post and run across the face of goal before spinning out of play.

Reid came close with a header and then in a one-on-one situation chipped narrowly over the bar. Alimi almost doubled K's advantage with a close range header after a Paul Wiltshire cross but the goalkeeper saved well. The power and pace of Reid and Watson was causing the Chicks' defence numerous problems and good work by the former set up Luke Purcell to fire narrowly wide.

On thirty-eight minutes a major mix-up for Dorking saw a defender head the ball straight into his goalkeepers' hand - unfortunately for the home side the goalkeeper was out of his area. Martyn Lee scored a cheeky quick free kick with nobody ready but the referee ordered a retake. First though, despite protests from Dorking and K's players that it was only a friendly, the referee insisted in dismissing the unfortunate goalkeeper for the handball.

This led to the somewhat unusual sight of Mark Jones going in goal for Dorking. Yes, that is ex-Kingstonian left-back Mark Jones, approximately five foot tall in his football boots. Lee's free kick left him standing still but luckily for Jones it cannoned wide off the post. A minute later he was picking the ball out of his net though when he was unable to reach a Lee free kick and Watson headed home unmarked at the far post.

The condition of the pitch (very dry and bumpy) did little to help the football and Reid might have added a third just before half-time had Wiltshire's low cross not caught a bobble. His shot went straight up in the air and Dorking cleared their lines to go in just two down.

A half-time reorganisation for Dorking saw Jones return to his more natural position of left-back. Lee again tested Dorking with a powerful low free-kick that was well saved. The resulting corner went to Stuart Reeks at the far post and Jones was forced to clear his powerful drive off the line. A great run from Lee saw his finish go narrowly wide as K's remained in control.

Bashiru Alimi was next to cut through the Dorking defence but he perhaps took too long to release his shot and the goalkeeper saved with his legs. K's third came ten minutes from time. Watson was going nowhere in the corner of the penalty box but a Dorking substitute brought him down and Ben Yiadom coolly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with the penalty. It was the first time a K's player had scored a penalty since the shoot-out win against Harrow over a year ago.

K's had two good chances to make it four. First Frazer Muscat was unlucky to slip when in a great position. The just before the final whistle Yiadom and Kenny Ojukwa made a mockery of the Dorking offside trap. Ojukwa took his time and showed nice skill to round the keeper. However, as he casually rolled the ball into the open net, Dorking's number 6 appeared out of seemingly nowhere to clear the ball off the line.

Soon the final whistle ended a very good display by K's. They created many chances and the strike partnership was impressive in the way they created chances. The return of Martyn Lee also made a big difference for K's. One man that may be a touch disappointed would be Hughes - he would probably have wanted to show Stuart McIntyre what he was capable of (Ian McDonald was at Colliers Wood) but behind such a well-organised defence he had little to do other than catch a couple of crosses and save a twenty-five yard pea roller. The only criticism that can really be levelled at K's is that the quality of finishing could improve. A few good opportunities were wasted and in the cut-and-thrust of the Ryman League chances will not be so plentiful - if they are not taken more clinically then K's may struggle for goals.

K's have now opened with two comfortable wins against lower-ranked opposition. Of the five remaining friendlies though four are against higher-ranked sides - after these games we may have a better indication of how good this K's side is.