Kingstonian 1-3 Horsham
K'S UN-DUNN

Alan Dowson was left bemoaning individual mistakes after a series or errors at the back allowed Horsham to inflict Kingstonian's third consecutive home defeat, despite Bobby Traynor giving them an early lead. Ks remain in a playoff spot but seem shorn of confidence and attacking options after another poor performance at Kingsmeadow.

The result led to perhaps the most negative reaction from the Ks fans since the dying days of Stuart MacIntyre's reign, with the players booed from the pitch by elements of a fanbase baffled by their side's recent downturn in fortune. As long ago as the draw at Tonbridge in November, Dowson was talking about the need for new blood, yet despites the losses of Dean Lodge and Carl Wilson-Denis, only defender Joe Dolan has arrived.

Ks made a positive start which indicated that all might be fine at Kingsmeadow after all, but it proved to be a false dawn. A perfect cross from Matt Gray found the head of Traynor, who got in front of his marker to head inside ex-Ks goalkeeper Mark Zawadski's near post and give Ks their first goal from open play in six games.

As well as seeing his side go a goal down within ten minutes, Zawadski, along with team-mate Jamahl King, also earned the dubious honour of being the first man to ever wear a snood in a Kingstonian game. The Premier League's money may not filter down to the semi-professional ranks, but its dubious fashion sense certainly does.

Ks' lead never looked solid though, with The Hornets increasingly taking control of the game and pressurising Rob Tolfrey. He had to save a long-range Pat Harding effort, marshal his side through a succession of corners and then watch Billy Dunn miskick wide after a goalmouth scramble.

Ks could only repel the pressure for so long, but Dowson was furious at the manner in which the visitors equalised on the half-hour mark. A bad mix-up between Tolfrey and Dolan in dealing with an overhit long ball allowed the grateful Shane Graham to tap into the empty net, with most of Kingsmeadow watching in disbelief.

Gray clipped the bar from distance but before half-time Ks had capitulated. First, Dunn was able to exploit the space on Ks' right flank and when the defence failed to clear his low cross, Harding smashed the rebound past Tolfrey. Just two minutes later Horsham made it 3-1 with a move that started in their own penalty box, with Dunn leading the breakaway and barely ten seconds later Frankie Raymond teeing Anthony Storey up to slide the ball past Tolfrey.

Ks rarely looked like they would salvage anything from the game, despite Dowson eventually making three substitutions. Lee Hall shot wide, Zawadski saved a Traynor header, the striker had another effort deflected past the post and then Gray came close from a tight angle. Ks' closest effort of the second half came on 75 minutes, with Bashiru Alimi's header from a Gray cross beating Zawadski but rebounding off the crossbar.

After this missed opportunity, Kingstonian heads dropped and in the closing minutes it was the visitors who looked more likely to score. Tolfrey saved well from Jamie Cade and Ks were lucky not to concede a penalty when Tobi Jinadu tangled with Dunn. Ks' last chance fell to Traynor after Gray headed down a long ball but he fired well wide, leaving Dowson to reflect on a bitterly disappointing result.