Horsham 2-3 Kingstonian
STING IN THE TAIL FOR THE HORNETS
For the second time in three days, Kingstonian won a game that on chances created, they barely deserved a point from. Whether the victories are down to strength of character in the team or just sheer luck may depend on if you have a KT postcode, but they do mean that after four games only goal difference is keeping Alan Dowson's side off the top of the table.
The winner came even later than the one two days previously against Hornchurch, when Gary MacDonald bundled the ball in after a blunder from ex-Ks goalkeeper Mark Zawadski. Zawadski, who did little to distinguish himself in a five game spell at Kingsmeadow in 2004, was barely tested all game but had to fish two Bobby Traynor penalties out of his net before failing to punch clear Tom Bird's late corner, allowing MacDonald to score just seconds from the final whistle.
The Hornets took the lead through a Jay Lovett strike and Ks did almost nothing to test them in a dull first half. They had reverted to 4-4-2, with Carl Wilson-Denis recalled to replace the unfortunate Simon Huckle, but this further weakened the injury-hit midfield and the front two saw little service. The best chance saw a Traynor effort deflected to provide Zawadski with a comfortable save, while Steve Sargeant came close for the home side.
Horsham's Pat Harding blazed a good chance over the bar shortly after the interval before Jack Page did well to deny Wilson-Denis after a good break by Dean Lodge.
The Ks equaliser, as often seems to be the case, came from the penalty spot. Wilson-Denis took the ball past Zawadski only for the goalkeeper to block him off, leaving the referee no choice put to point to the spot. Zawadski tried to make amends, but like all the other Isthmian goalkeepers he failed to save Traynor's penalty, as the striker converted his 28th consecutive league spot kick since joining Ks.
Traynor headed wide shortly afterwards but it was soon Horsham who were back on the attack, with their former goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey forced to make an acrobatic save before home captain Ben Andrews converted a free header from a corner after some poor Ks marking.
The lead lasted a mere seven minutes though, before Wilson-Denis was felled in the box once again. This time Lovett was the culprit and Traynor again stepped up to send Zawadski the wrong way and make it number 29 from twelve yards.
The game opened up in the last ten minutes as Ks sought a third consecutive win and Horsham their first of the season. MacDonald hit his own post from a corner before Lodge was cynically felled on the counter-attack. The replacement of Tobi Jinadu with Sam Clayton allowed Adam Thompson to drop into defence and provided Ks with an extra creative outlet. Clayton twice had chances to find a winner, but Zawadski saved his first effort and then he fired over the bar.
Page had a chance to secure a late winner for Horsham but missed the target before Traynor failed to make a good contact from close range and Zawadski pushed it wide. It was from the resultant corner that the goalkeeper's day became a nightmare. He came out to punch clear Bird's set piece but barely made any contact at all, with a grateful MacDonald securing the simplest of winners for Ks having been a post's width from inadvertently scoring the winner for Horsham just minutes earlier.
A frustrated Zawadski hoofed his water bottle over the Ks fans after the game, showing his disappointment in a manner not dissimilar to his final Ks appearance six years ago. Mark Hams was delighted with the points but will not be resting on any laurels though, as once again, Ks know that despite the result they still have plenty to work on.
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Mon 30th Aug 2010 |
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Gorings Mead (Horsham YMCA) |
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372 |
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Isthmian League Premier |
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Horsham | 2 |
Kingstonian | 3 |
Traynor (2 pen), MacDonald |
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1 | Rob Tolfrey | | |
2 | Dean Hamlin | | |
3 | Tom Bird | | |
4 | Tobi Jinadu | | 14 |
5 | Gary MacDonald | | |
6 | Jean-Sylvain Dossou | | |
7 | Adam Thompson | | |
8 | Matt Gray | | |
9 | Bobby Traynor | | |
10 | Carl Wilson-Denis | | |
11 | Dean Lodge | | |
12 | Lee Hall | | |
14 | Sam Clayton | | 4 |
15 | Tom Duffy | | |
16 | Billy Dunn | | |
17 | Nic Taylor | | |
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Simon Grier |
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