Wealdstone 2-1 Kingstonian

A goal in each half consigned Kingstonian to a defeat in a game that saw them at their best in a first half of free-flowing football and pegged back by a resolute midfield.

Facing down the slope, the visitors soon made the advantage tell and in only the fourth minute Bobby Traynor profited from a corner off Matt Gray. The ball was chested back in by Sam Clayton and Traynor was able to head it on past the keeper.

Less than a minute earlier Tom Bird was denied as a through ball to Dean Lodge was juggled before being fed out to the left of the area to him. The corner came from the blocked shot.

Bird was soon however within the referee's book as he then gave away a free kick at the other end. Rob Tolfrey managed to get both fists to the ball as it came looping towards him.

Defender Wes Parker was then unable to get his long range pass to Peter Dean as the ball went past him and Tolfrey was able to smother it.

However Kingstonian began to show their strength and when Bird, flying up the wing again, found Clayton. Clayton shot goalwards only to hit the outside of the far post in the first of some telling misses. Jonathan North was quickly back in action and was able to gather Gray's 30-yard speculative shot.

Clayton then was blocked by North with both Traynor and Lodge either side of him and in better positions to beat the 'keeper on the edge of the area. Bird was also blocked just after the half-hour by North.

However minutes later Traynor crossed in to Clayton and with only North to beat who dived to the left, Clayton tried a simple chip from less than 20 yards out, only for the ball to dribble the wrong side of the right post.

In between the hosts were active. Greg Ngoyi was denied by Tolfrey and then was saved from the rebounded ball back off Dean by Max Hustwick in the 32nd minute and with the half petering out Tolfrey did a defending tackle to deny Danny Spendlove.

However injury time saw Bird denied by North and then at the other end as he launched a counter attack which found Alex Dyer. His run upfield ended with a low pass to Ngoyi who helped it on beyond Tolfrey.

The second half began with Gray's corner cut out within minutes of the restart. But the Stones were starting to find confidence after a difficult season and Ngoyi shot wide across goal from yards out. On the hour Chris O'Leary shot over the crossbar by some distance. However within a minute Ngoyi outfoxed Hustwick and found the lurking Dean. Dean poked the ball inside the far post to give the hosts the lead.

Lodge hit back and found Traynor almost on the line but Traynor was unable to control the ball as he attempted to bundle over the ball and lost his balance. Tolfrey then denied Dean for what would have been an unfair third and a series of changes on the pitch broke the game up.

Simon Huckle led the way, followed by Bashiru Alimi and then Tom Bolarinwa - with Clayton, Bird and Tobi Jinadu leaving. However Wealdstone had begun to restrict Kingstonian by now with a solid defensive midfield, punctuated by some hard but fair tackling.

Gray's long range free kick was well taken by North, and then in the 83rd Huckle was denied by a low diving stop too. In the dying minutes a wasted free kick ended with O'Leary being denied by Tolfrey.

On a cold evening both teams served up a warm and welcoming first half and a tough second one. If one of the chances had gone in then Kingstonian could have sewn it up before the break but instead found themselves beaten for the third time.

They now face the same team at home on the Sunday to regain some revenge with an FA Trophy tie.