Kingstonian 1-2 Hastings United
HASTINGS WIN TACTICAL BATTLE

Ks fine October run came to halt as Hastings scored a goal in each half in a league game sandwiched between cup matches.

Having played the FA Trophy and the Surrey Senior Cup and facing another tie the week after, it was an unwelcome to league action in a match that also saw two red cards.

A Bobby Traynor penalty with the keeper being sent off and midfielder Sam Adams replacing him in the 26th minute should have seen the home side come through with another win, but for a goal near the end of both halves from the Us.

It was the visitors who started the game brighter when Russell Eldridge crossed the ball in late near the by-line. It hit the far post before going out in only the second minute.

Lodge launched a counter attack, crossing into Carl Wilson-Denis, before taking the ball back and shooting over the bar from outside the area. A header from Eldridge at the other end, after a cross pitch free-kick, also pressurised the defence.

However it was a good few minutes before Ashlee Jones was under threat and once again Eldridge was the architect. Picking up Jimmy Elford's shot he looked for a player in a scoring position, only for Simon Huckle to kick the ball out for a corner.

At the other end Des Boateng found himself in a similar situation and chose to shoot from 25 yards, only for the ball to go just wide of the near post. However within minutes Traynor on the edge of the area came down after a tackle from Greg Nessling and defender Josh Jirbandey. Referee Ashvin Dognarain had little hesitation in showing the keeper a red card.

Traynor's strike saw midfielder Adams - now in the keeper's jersey - dive the wrong way, as the ball hit the back of the net.

A throw-in from Matt Gray nearly saw Traynor add to that soon after. Traynor headed towards the far post only for the ball to hit the underside of the crossbar before hitting the inside of the upright and bouncing out.

Hastings launched a counter attack and only Francis Duku's header out wide of his own goal denied them. At the other end though a superb one handed save by Adams saw Traynor denied again as Lodge's free kick unlocked the Us' defence.

Almost immediately after a poor shot went straight back to Hastings, they launched an attack. A cross from the right found Ade Olorunda, who shot low from the edge of the box to equalise. Within minutes Eldridge was then denied from further out after his free kick was pushed away and behind by Jones.

From the corner, the ball found its way to Lodge but his shot from the left was saved by Adams.

Adams then found himself again under the cosh as Gray's free kick at the start of the second half deflected off a defender. Once again Adams was equal to the task. At the other end another free kick from Eldridge avoided everyone in the area, only for Jones to deny him.

A substitution just before the hour saw Liam Upton replaced by Lee Carey and Ks bring on Karl Beckford for Boateng. Within a minute a free kick from Gray was headed back in by Wilson Denis, but Huckle was unable to head it in as the ball went past.

And for Huckle that was his last part in the game, notwithstanding a late tackle in his own half. Duly alerted by the linesman, the referee then sent him off showing a red card and then a second yellow - his first yellow just a minute before Hasting's equaliser.

The game then began to decline with Kingstonian passing poor shots and Hastings trying to boss the midfield but achieving nothing further up the field. A header in the 70th minute from the goal scorer Olorunda saw a low save by Jones, unsighted by the defence in the area, was the highlight until with time starting to tick by to the end, Olorunda headed in a second goal, aiming higher this time from Eldridge's corner.

With little time left, Ks tried to hit back; Gray was denied by a defender and Wilson-Denis could only kick over. Buoyed by the goal however Hastings sought out a third. Skipper Tim Olorunda outfoxed the defence, only for Gray to slow him down enough for Jones to deny him and then Jones was forced into a good save from Eldridge with two minutes left.

A bad day at the office or a reflection of relative league positions? Before the match Hastings were sixth, while Ks, on the back of their recent form, were one place below. Too often though passes were given straight to the visitors and for that they will be punished, unless they tighten it up.