Leatherhead 0-0 Kingstonian
NO KNOCKOUT ON BOXING DAY

Travelling Kingstonian fans faced their second local derby in only 11 days. Earlier in the month they had seen a single goal secure a win at Corinthian Casuals but facing Leatherhead for a morning kick-off on Boxing Day there was not even a goal to sweeten the bitter taste.

Indeed the game had few chances for either set of fans in the bumper crowd of just over 400.

The only thing of note was that both former K's player Asher Hudson and Ryan Palmer came on with number 5 on their respective Leatherhead shirts. Only when Hudson came on for the second half did he swap shirts for the 6. Meanwhile, midfielder Matt York wore the Kingstonian number 8, having just completed his move from Tooting & Mitcham.

Photo: Andy Nunn

Former K's player Glenn Boosey fired the opening shot in the sixth minute with a 30-yard free kick that went sailing high over the crossbar.

Two minutes later with Leatherhead making a rare foray into the area the ball bounced up off the pitch and hit NJ Lampton on his hand. With the home fans howling for a penalty the referee Tim Robinson bravely and correctly turned any appeals down and let play continue.

K's first meaningful attempt insofar that it went towards the goal was a free kick in the 14th minute from Wayne Finnie just beyond the halfway line that cleared the defence and landed safely in goalkeeper Aaron France's hands.

Finally Bobby Traynor swung into action, breaking through the defence with a weighted pass to Lampton. His low shot went wide to the left.

In the 22nd minute Boosey once again had a chance as the defence began to be put under pressure. Swivelling he found his shot blocked. Then running down the centre he fed out a pass to the right before getting it back as he was closed out.

Dean Lodge then found his shot almost immediately blocked as he teed up for a 25-yard shot at the other end.

As the game continued it began to develop into a series of missed passes and midfield stalemate until in the 33rd minute Luke Garrard diving to his right denied Ellis Conroy from 20 yards out.

Worryingly then Traynor left the field a minute later after failing to run off a sore left ankle and was replaced by Saheed Sankoh. Whilst not making an immediate impact, Sankoh set up a chance just before the half-time break with a run up the left before passing to Steve Goddard ahead of him. His cross into the centre found Lampton but on his wrong foot. The shot skewed wide to the left.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

The second half began with Dean Lodge picking up a ball from Lampton and running up the left to just short of the by-line before his cross landed on the top of the net of the goal.

Lampton then became recipient of a pass after Sankoh found him free in the 60th minute and as he battled through the defence it closed around him.

Finally in the 66th minute, a free kick from Palmer that went over the bar as Garrard left it, in the 66th minute, saw Leatherhead's first attempt in the final third of the pitch.

Goddard then saw his pass just too strong for Sankoh and the goalkeeper gathered it ahead of him three minutes later. The roles were reversed three minutes later when Sankoh flicked on to Goddard who cut inside and shot goalwards, only for it to bounce out across the six yard box. Jason Turley was first on the scene but was unable to bring the ball down as it bounced cruelly and Boosey recovered to challenge clear.

Photo: Andy Nunn

In the 81st minute with Hudson leaving the field for Lynvall Duncan, Turley took a free kick from the right that rebounded straight to Lodge in the centre. His tame shot went wide of the right post.

The game ended with two more substitutions with Goddard being replaced by Danny Summers and then Wes Goggin replacing Lodge and then a minute later.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

And then in the 87th minute Lampton once again tried to fight his way through a crowded defence but ultimately lost out.

It is a measure of the team that Kingstonian can grind out results, although this was two points dropped, and that opponents feel they have to play negatively just to avoid being beaten.

On the plus side the team face two top-table clashes either side of the new year at Kingsmeadow and wins are achievable in both.