Kingstonian 0-3 Leatherhead
Jaded K's given a tanning

The Kingstonian players and coaching staff will be utterly disappointed with their display on Sunday, as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat at home to 20th placed Leatherhead.

The first fifteen minutes passed without much action, with both teams content with just holding possession. Leatherhead had more of the ball than Kingstonian but played all their football in front of the K's back four, rarely offering any cutting edge whilst the home side's defence remained solid.

The sixteenth minute, however, provided the Tanners with their first goal of the afternoon and pretty much set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Left fullback Liam Pestle played a nonchalant chip from defence through to Vernon Francis. The K's defenders' appeared to try to play the Leatherhead central midfielder offside by stepping up, but the linesman's flag remained down and Francis ghosted through the centre. He then calmly finished over the onrushing Tolfrey's head to give Leatherhead the lead.

Kingstonian had a half chance in the 24th minute, after a long throw-in was flicked on at the front post. The ball fell to Ian Gayle on the edge of the six-yard box, but he couldn't control well enough and the ball fell to Chico Ramos in the Leatherhead goal. It was another ten minutes before the K's threatened again. Bird's original cross was cleared, but was followed up by another from the same side by Sam Clayton. The good delivery was met at the far post by Jamie Byatt, who headed tantalisingly back across goal. All it needed was a touch, but Alimi running up couldn't quite find it and the ball was played away for a corner.

Just two minutes later Leatherhead almost had a second. Tommy Hutchings was played in by Greg Andrews down the left hand side and did well to stand the ball up for Francis to attack. The Leatherhead goalscorer got a good shot on goal, but Tolfrey was equal to it, pulling out a good save low down to his right.

Right on the stroke of half time Leatherhead doubled their lead. Hutchings picked up the ball just inside the Kingstonian half and ran with it towards goal. He continued to carry the ball forward and, as nobody had properly closed him down, a shot opened up for him, by now on the edge of the K's box. A few quick stepovers preceded a powerful shot, bouncing just before the diving Tolfrey and nestling into the corner of the net.

That sent the K's in 2-0 down at the break and, unfortunately, it was deservedly so. Whilst the Tanners had looked comfortable in possession and were playing some controlled passing football, the Kingstonian passing was not up to scratch. Everything was a bit too panicky and far too rushed, having to resort the long ball far too often.

Six minutes into the first half, Kingstonian hit the woodwork. Perhaps aided by the swirling wind, Tom Bird's chipped cross deceived the Leatherhead goalkeeper and as he looked to move to the back post, the ball struck the near side post high up, but nothing came of it and the ball was cleared. Kingstonian had a chance on the hour mark, after Gary MacDonald played Tom Bird in down the left wing. His cross made Clayton on the far side, who cut inside onto his left before shooting powerfully through a congested box. The keeper made the save but could only parry. Byatt's shot from the rebound was deflected upward, with the goalkeeper Ramos doing well to backpedal and tip over the bar.

Leatherhead made it three in the 77th minute, with a rapid breakaway goal. The ball was played out to Jack MacLeod, who was racing away on the left. He received the ball and charged into the huge open space in front of him. He then squared the ball to Vernon Francis, who took one touch before lashing goalward, with the ball clipping the crossbar on its way into the net. Francis had his second and Leatherhead's third. That was the last of the real action, rounding off a dismal day at the office for the K's.