Kingstonian 1-1 Whitstable Town
OYSTERMEN WEATHER THE STORM

Bobby Traynor marked his century of games for Kingstonian with yet another goal but it was not enough for a win as the team still go for automatic promotion.

His 70th goal of his hoops career - and seventh this month - came in the 38th minute as Carl Wilson-Denis fashioned a cross in from the right through a crowded defence to Simon Huckle who was unable to shoot from less than 10 yards out. Traynor took up the ball from the left and shot low by the near post to take a deserved lead.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

At this stage Ks could have easily been a goal down after a penalty 10 minutes earlier that saw Luke Garrard not only the villain as he bought down Ian Pulman but also hero as he atoned by diving the right way and pushing Jake Gess' strike beyond the post.

And then a minute after Traynor scored James Campbell was sent for bringing down Wilson-Denis. With finger tip saves and a late equaliser the game had everything including a hail storm and sleet when the south-westerly wind did an about turn and rushed in from the north.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

With a minute's silence in memory of former director Tom Dixon starting the game in benign sunny weather, it was not soon before the action began. In only the first minute Liam Collins coming up the right crossed in long to Traynor. He shot at goal only for Jack Tanner to track back enough and put the ball beyond the far post.

Then within minutes Traynor passed the ball out to Dean Lodge on the left and his cross in went just over the top. From the goal kick the ball found Pulman who went past Max Hustwick, only for Hustwick to tackle back and then a second time put the ball behind on the left. The corner was then headed wide by Danny Tipple.

Still the chances came with Wilson-Denis shooting low and wide and then being denied by Kevin Fewell as he came in for Jamie Beer's cross. In between Town skipper Clint Gooding had his loop shot snatched out of the air by Garrard.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

Wilson-Denis then came close in the 23rd minute when he picked up Tommy Williams' free kick and, then swivelling, shot wide of the right far post. With the pressure beginning to build the Oystermen were not all at sea as Tipple came up the left flank and centred to Pulman. With defenders around Garrard bought him down but then dived the way of the ball from the penalty and pushed it wide.

Off the corner Ks launched a counter-attack and Williams found Collins whose long looping shot went wide. Minutes later Traynor then was denied by the finger tips of the diving Fewell as the low and powerful shot from 10 yards out, off Lodge's short pass over, was pushed onto the far post.

This was then soon superseded when Traynor scored an opportunistic goal as he swooped in from the left to pick up the pieces from Huckle being unable to find his way through a crowded defence. And when a minute later Campbell was shown his marching orders, the game seemed to be there for the taking. Williams' free kick from the incident went wide of the near post and then with the first half almost over a corner from Williams met the head of Hustwick who headed over.

But it was not over with injury time almost upon the game Tanner crossed in to Mark Munday, whose shot was pushed away by Garrard almost straight to Pulman. Somehow Pulman then contrived to miss from the left 10 yards out.

Having faced the breeze in the first half, Ks came out after the break with a gale blowing rain, then hail and then sleet straight at them. But they managed to weather the adverse conditions better with Lodge shooting low but wide in the 47th minute and then Collins being denied by Gess. From the resulting corner Collins picked up the ball and passed it to Huckle who shot wide.

Lodge was then denied by Fewell who palmed away his shot after Williams' short pass. Wilson-Denis then missed after Lodge broke free and passed it to Traynor who centred it in. Huckle then lost out to a packed defence after his shot rebounded out for a corner.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

Throughout this half Garrard had cut a lonely figure at the back, with his jersey covering most of his face against the storm. When finally he was called into action with a free kick 25 yards out Tanner's shot went straight at the wall and bounced away. By this time the visitors decided something needed to change and Gess was taken off for Tom Parker in the 71st minute.

By now the storm had abated and with the sun beginning to make a welcome reappearance, the game settled into a slower tempo as Ks almost settled for the win with long shots up-field from the back going nowhere. A corner in the 76th minute saw Hustwick heading wide of the near post. Minutes later Tanner scuffed a shot wide from 25 yards out.

And that ought to have been it with no side taking the initiative but in the dying minutes Pulman forced a corner and substitute Parker scored from the right 10 yards out off the corner.

A second substitution saw Whitstable try to slow the game but Ks had other ideas as they finally sensed a very belated urgency. Fewell once again denied Collins with his finger tips pushing the ball over the bar. And then in injury time Lodge's curling shot went wide off the far post from 20 yards out.

Photo: Chris Hatton - Kingstonian FC

With the visitors near enough safe from relegation, this was a game for the taking if Kingstonian are ready to make the step up necessary for premier division football. A needlessly conceded goal took away the gloss off a game that they could have won by a few goals, if Fewell had not been so on form. Much the quieter keeper, Garrard did shine in denying the penalty.

On the positive side if Ks play like they did for the first hour and a bit, then on Monday another game in hand would have been won when they face Walton and Hersham. That would leave Ks top of the league and still one more game in hand.