Kingstonian 1-2 Tooting & Mitcham
ANOTHER CUP THAT DOESN'T OVER-FLOWETH

Another cup - another defeat as a composite Kingstonian side came close to beating a fully-strength Tooting & Mitcham in the Isthmian Cup.

Resting no less than nine players from the game two days beforehand as opposed to only one change for the division leaders, boss Alan Dowson nearly saw his battling players win after leading for almost 30 minutes in the second half.

Yet, another own goal - the fourth this campaign and third in cup games - five minutes before the end bought the game into extra time. A second goal for the visitors within five minutes settled the match.

Danny Summers opened up the scoring with a low shot on his right foot after a cross from Nick Rundell in the 54th minute. Carl Gibbs, dummied the defence and Summers slotted home the goal from 10 yards out.

With a scoreless first half the action was warm enough to keep the fans on a cold November evening entertained.

The visitors began the game imposingly with Paul Vines combining with Jamie Byatt in a chance after only five minutes. Then a long low shot from the right went wide of Luke Naughton's near post a minute later. Defender Dean Hamlin also went wide by five yards within the minute. Des Boateng followed up another attack minutes afterwards.

Finally David Shin, who generally had a game worthy of his form last season, counter-attacked up the right. Summers then picked up a long cross ball from Craig Dunne only to find the safe hands of keeper Dave King also there.

Jon Henry-Hayden then forced a good low save to the right by Naughton as the former ran onto the ball.

Finally the home side began to belie their position as mainly a reserve side with a series of opportunities that forced their opponents back. Simon Huckle, Shin, Rundell with a free-kick and Summers failed to find the back of the net as Kingstonian piled on the pressure.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

The start of the second half saw the home side come on in their away shirts - and while the inability of Manchester United to see grey tops worked for them - it was left to Tooting and Mitcham skipper Matt Yorke to bring about the changes. The first attack saw a loose defender's ball caught with Summers in attendance. However he finally broke the deadlock six minutes later.

The visitors' first response - on the hour - was to try out a triple substitution with Henry-Hayden, Dorian Smith and Colin Hartburn being replaced by Ryan Gray, Ben Abbey and Ronnie Green. David Suchy, a patch over his right eye from a clash of heads earlier, also left with Dean Lodge coming on for Kingstonian.

In the 65th minute Shin crossed into the centre and Lodge leased a power shot that King had to work hard to deny a sure second and a winner.

The action then came back to the host's penalty area With Naughton beaten Jon Coke cleared the ball from near the goal line after recent sub Green shot from left to right. Then another shot went over by 10 yards minutes later - in the 74th - as K's sub Andrew Wylde went for a tackle.

In spite of two chances by Gibbs, denied by defender Carl Hutchings, and then a Lodge cross palmed away, it was Vines against the run of play that forced the impetus back the other way. His low shot was saved well by Naughton.

Then disaster struck with five minutes remaining. Wayne Finnie could only see his header find the back of the wrong net as the dangerous Green crossed from the right.

Kingstonian struck back to spare the blushes with Summers rounding the keeper a minute later King finally got a hand to the ball and denied the chance.

Two minutes remaining Summers failed to control a ball from Lodge on the right after Shin set up another attack. The right footed ball went wide.

In injury time Byatt saw his shot hit Naughton's crossbar and go over. He was more on target minutes later in extra time but Naughton was equal to the task.

A minute later Abbey scored the decisive winner as he picked up a low shot from the right and slotted it to the right of a diving Naughton.

Gibbs with a shot four yards wide then again with an awkward bouncing ball over and then a skied ball, the last two from Lodge, in three minutes carried on the pressure. Dunne followed this up with a low volley that was well held by King.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

The second half of extra time saw two quick attacks by Tooting & Mitcham but these were too half-hearted and Naughton was easily equal to the task.

Shin once again replied with a 15-yard kick just too wide for Summers. And then a low shot just too short of the near post.

NJ Lampton replaced Rundell in the 108th minute but had little time to make any mark as the game petered out in the ever-increasing cold.

Often it was hard to work out who was the team of reserves and the team of full-strength as Kingstonian applied themselves well. A return to the league should see them push on, particularly against rivals Walton & Hersham. On the cup front Kingstonian have only the Surrey Senior Cup left as a distraction - in December - and that entails a trip to Egham in four weeks time.