Kingstonian 0-1 Corinthian-Casuals
CASUAL K'S PUNISHED

Bottom of the table Corinthian Casuals relegated out-of-sorts Kingstonian firmly into a play-off position with a one-goal defeat.

Kingstonian are now six points behind Cray Wanderers after one goal in only the fourth minute sealed this lacklustre performance by both teams from the borough and Cray won again.

The game saw the introduction of re-signed fans' favourite Dean Lodge and striker Omari Chapman with Luke Naughton starting a rare game between the posts. Bobby Traynor was slotted into the midfield as Ks showed an attacking formation.

But the first real action was at the other end of the pitch as Naughton could only palm the ball from Tyrone Myton's corner on the right with Martin Dunne heading in through a tightly packed area.

Stung Ks were not and it took another six minutes before the home side mustered up an attack. A long kick up the pitch found Chapman who passed it on but Dale Hennessey in the area flicked the ball away only for it to crash against the right stanchion and bounce out. Still attacking Wayne Finnie then shot low from distance and it was gathered easily by Matt Mann in goal.

The home side continued to press. A short throw in by Lodge on the left found Carl Wilson-Denis and his shot was deflected and sent spinning onto the post.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

Then just before the half hour Myton broke out of midfield and lost his marker before shooting tamely wide. Up the other end Wilson-Denis picked up a deft pass from Lodge on the left, only to shoot wide. Once again a minute later he broke up the right and crossed the ball in, only for the ball to land on the top of the net.

With the ball then coming out up on the left Lodge was bought down in front of the dugouts by Dunne, who was shown a yellow card.

A long throw in by ex-Ks Gavin Cartwright could only be headed out and from the ensuing corner on the right Myton's ball Jamal Carr shot low and left but it was easily saved by Naughton diving to his right. At the other end Traynor shot only for the crossbar to deny him and with Chapman lurking the ball went beyond both.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

With the first half running out a Lodge free kick on the left edge of the box found Traynor and then with Finnie rushing in, Finnie found himself off side. At the other end a minute later Liam Collins conceded a scoring chance when his header found Myton. A 35 yard shot by Myton looped over Naughton and fortunately the bar too. In injury time ex-Ks Saheed Sankoh should have done better with a shot going wide to the right.

Coleman's debut ended at half time with NJ Lampton coming on instead. The second half started brightly too with Lodge shooting in the 47th minute but it was easily saved by Mann. Then minutes later he turned Dunne and crossed in but found no-one. A long shot in then from NJ was also wasted. Traynor then came closest when his shot hit the bar again.

Either side of the shot Matt Powell saw his shot go well over and then Sam Robinson tried to double the score too with a long range 30-yard free kick; but this went well over. Minutes later Nick Rundell, sporting the captaincy in place of Luke Garrard, had a free kick the other end saved by Mann and then from an ensuing throw in taken by Finnie found Wilson-Denis, whose header was gathered by Mann again. Lodge then found himself with the ball but his shot back in was easily saved by Mann.

Collins then found himself leaving the pitch to be replaced by Tommy Williams. Williams soon found himself in action with Lodge finding a shot parried into the side netting, Williams stepped up to take the corner on the right and from there Hustwick shot from 15 yards out and over.

Next it was Traynor to shoot over when he picked up the ball from Lodge, who was beginning to show some of the skills for which he was bought in to the club late the previous night. Within a minute Lampton headed over.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

At the other end Richard Brightwell, who had come on minutes before, found Carr whose strike could only find the side netting on the nearside. He soon found himself being replaced by Kane Sergeant as the visitors began to wind down the clock. The onus was still with Ks to make the break through and at least take a point.

A free kick by Williams headed just past the keeper and out. And injury time he took another free kick after Traynor was fouled but Finnie's header was easily taken by Mann. At the other end Brightwell had seen his shot go straight in to the hands of Naughton.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

It would be too easy to blame the delaying tactics of the opponents, who put in their third substitution in the dying minutes of the game, but with all the talent in the home side, wayward passing too often meant that no concerted pressure could be exerted.

Remaining top of the division for so long is no easy feat and Ks have proved themselves worthy of automatic promotion many times this season but now with two league defeats in a row and no goals in either, it no longer looks the breeze it was.

Ks face four away days in the league and the cup match at Croydon on Tuesday, and are six points below Cray but with three games in hand and the talent the squad has, by the end of March this game may be forgotten about with a string of good results against opponents dotted around the table.