Tooting & Mitcham 3-1 Kingstonian
K'S STRUCK BY TERROR

A late Bobby Traynor goal failed to improve a bad day at the office for Kingstonian as they crashed to a defeat this bank holiday Monday.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

His eight-yard shot over the keeper gave the visitors scant reward from the previous form.

Buoyed by a bumper crowd as visiting fans from Kingsmeadow clogged the roads, the bus routes and trams to Imperial Fields, the home side Tooting and Mitcham inflicted the first defeat on the visiting team this season.

The game hinged on two first-half injuries which allowed the hosts to take a crucial lead just before half-time as the smoke from a pitch-side barbecue wafted the length of the ground towards Luke Garrard.

First NJ Lampton limped off with less than 30 minutes on the clock, after tracking back along the right side. After pulling up, it became evident that Saturday's goal-scorer was unable to continue with a hamstring problem on the right leg. He was replaced by Akwasi Edusei.

10 minutes later Garrard fell heavily under pressure from Jamie Byatt as the ball crashed onto the top bar, before going out. A small stoppage saw Garrard regain his feet.

Then with seconds left in the first half a free kick from 25 yards out by Matt York on the left curled round a five-man wall and beat Garrard low to the far post. His fruitless dive only worsened his knee injury.

In injury time Luke Naughton took up position between the sticks as Garrard limped off to the dug-out.

The half had started so well with Kingstonian asking the questions of Tooting and Mitcham.

Lampton set up the first chance in the third minute after passing to Liam Cockerill, who forwarded the ball to Saheed Sankoh. His header was crowded out by the 'keeper Dave King and an attentive defence.

Then Traynor was bought down by Joe Vines 25 yards out on the left. The ensuing free kick set up two frenetic minutes as both teams had scoring chances.

First Cockerill kicked the ball straight into the defence, before bouncing back to Wes Goggin 25 yards out. His ball back was tipped away desperately by 'keeper King.

Then Cockerill's corner kick went straight to the 'keeper, whose throw released Paul Vines, until Jon Coke, carrying the captain's armband instead of the injured Simon Sobihy, found enough ground to deny any cross into the centre.

Minutes later a defensive error found Traynor alone against King but the ball bounced unkindly and he was unable to convert the chance.

In the 15th minute Byatt's low shot was saved easily by Garrard. Then minutes later Ben Abbey found his shot saved off the line in a mad scramble by Jason Turley.

Seconds earlier Traynor had also missed after Cockerill had found him unmarked.

The rest of the half saw a succession of chances diminishing as both sides began to kick the ball high into the late summer sun. However Lampton was frequently instrumental in setting up many of them until he had to limp off.

Bereft of two of the starting line-up Kingstonian took to the field for the second half and began brightly, with manager Alan Dowson's wisdom still ringing in their ears.

Both Traynor and Goggin were denied by the keeper. Then sub goalkeeper Naughton was called into action beating Dean Hamlin to the ball.

Minutes later he was forced to punch the ball away from a corner which found York. Then Goggin as bought down and the ensuing freekick by Traynor soared beyond an ever-frustrated Sankoh.

Once again another ball flew too high from Traynor - this time Edusei unable to latch onto it. Then it was Edusei's chance to overhit a pass to Sankoh.

In the 67th minute Traynor found himself alone with only King to beat but again the ball bounced badly.

A minute later Dowson threw on James Rose to replace a fading Cockerill.

Any chance of winning the game was then doused as the defence got in a right muddle and Naughton conceding a goal from the shoulder of Byatt.

Goggin once again threw himself into the game and was denied within minutes by the keeper and the defence ganging up on him.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

Late substitute John Haydon-Henry then applied the coup de grace with a back heel from Ronnie Green after being given the ball by Abbey. The quick one-touch football killed off the game.