Kingstonian 2-1 Dulwich Hamlet
K'S STRIKE CHAMPION BLOW

The champagne moment arrived finally as two late goals saw Kingstonian win against Dulwich and with it promotion as champions in front of another bumper crowd.

Photo: David Crawt

Needing one point from the last two games, the home side found themselves a goal down in the 25th minute. But with time starting to run out, first Dean Lodge equalised and then Tommy Williams in the 87th minute took the win.

The fight back from Ks came in the 80th minute when Nick Rundell lobbed the ball in from the left to Bobby Traynor, who deftly laid the ball back to Lodge. His low swivel went across the goal and beyond the keeper to the left.

And then seven minutes later a long run up the pitch by Adam Thompson found Lodge who released Williams to score the winning goal.

Indeed it could have been a more comprehensive win as Lodge almost opened up the scoring in the first minute but his low shot went wide. Then in the third minute Traynor was let in by Shayne Mangodza, but Traynor could only shoot tamely straight at keeper Jamie Lunan.

Then at the other end a cross in by Cedric Ngakam was whipped just beyond the far post by Daniel Francis. From the goal kick the ball then found Lodge who crossed in to Carl Wilson-Denis but Lunan had an easy save.

A corner by Williams just after the quarter hour found Lodge but he could only shoot across the goal and beyond. Then a half volley from Wilson-Denis was saved well by Lunen after a cross in from Lodge.

However a minute later at the other end Scott Simpson fell heavily out on the left of the area after Thompson's challenge. The referee Peter Georgiou pointed to the spot but left his cards in the back pocket. Up stepped Stuart Myall but diving to his left Luke Garrard saved.

Kingstonian then launched an attack and from a cross up jumped Simon Huckle from close range only for Lunen to get an improbable hand low enough to deny him.

Hamlet then launched themselves into attack at the Kingston Road End and won a free kick to the right of the box almost 30 yards out. Myall's kick went into the box and then seemed to be going out when Simpson found it and shot low and beyond Garrard.

Five minutes later it could have been two as Simpson shot over from Francis, who had run up half the pitch with the ball before crossing in.

However there was still the matter of securing the vital point in front of the home crowd and a minute later Williams saw his shot go just over the bar. And then Rundell's looping shot went over two minutes later before Lunan then had an easy task of gathering up Collins' low shot.

In the 40th minute it seemed as though Williams had done enough after he headed the ball beyond Lunen but the linesman was quick to signal off side. Wilson-Denis then shot wide with the first half running out.

After the break Garrard managed to parry a long shot from Simpson and then on the rebound Junior Kaffo shot wide. However the game then went into a lull with no side pushing up.

It was not until the 56th minute that the game starting going again with Huckle heading upwards in the area to Lodge but Lunan snatched it away just in time. Then Traynor was denied, once again from a Huckle header.

Almost immediately at the other end Simpson hit the side netting coming in from the left and then Kaffo was denied by the fingertips of Garrard. Minutes later Kaffo once again got himself goal side with a powerful header into the ground that bounced high and only Garrard's finger tips denied him as the ball went over the bar, instead of just under. And Francis then shot wide and low as the visitors piled on pressure for several minutes.

The tide then began to turn as Wilson-Denis found himself on the floor after Ryan Adams tackled him. Traynor from 30 yards out then shot the ball straight at the wall. Minutes later it was Lodge on the ground after a tackle in the area, but no penalty was given.

At the other end Garrard jumped high to deny as Myall's shot went towards the top left corner. Thankfully it was the last meaningful action he saw, having earned himself man of the match with a good performance.

Five minutes later Lodge then equalised with his low shot. And from the restart Traynor shot just over the bar. Minutes later Williams struck to ensure promotion with the second goal.

The match ended with Alan Dowson bringing on three substitutes in succession. First Rundell made way for Jon Coke, then in the 90th minute Traynor made way for Craig Mullen and in injury time NJ Lampton came on for Collins.

With second placed Cray losing to bottom side Crowborough, the final result would have been immaterial; but Ks are on a run with six straight wins now. Kept in the game by Garrard the team came back and soaked up the pressure to win and both goals were deserved.

They now face an away trip to Ashford Town and with nine points advantage over anyone a final win would be a good way to sign off the season before they resume next season in a higher division.