K’s go bobbin past the Robins
After a two-week snow-inflicted gap, Kingstonian kicked off the long road to the end of the season with a 3-1 at struggling local rivals Carshalton Athletic.
The news of two fan favourites returning to Kingsmeadow had created a fresh buzz around Ks this week, and Ian Gayle and Paul Vines were greeted with a warm reaction from fans, management and players in a game that Alan Dowson’s side never looked like losing.
The first half was low on action as Kingstonian battled up the hill on a boggy, bobbly pitch. It was the hosts who provided the early pressure as Kieran Murphy twice cleared the ball of the Ks’ line. Paul Vines almost marked his second debut with a goal but couldn’t get on the end of Nathan Koranteng’s cross.
The deadlock was broken with a real moment of quality. Andre McCollin broke down the middle of the pitch, chipped the ball over the last defender for Matt Pattison to run on to. The midfielder took a touch before blasting the ball into the far corner past Nick Hamann in the host’s goal.
Within eight second-half minutes the game was over. After 51 minutes McCollin got his second assist of the game as he turned inside the full back, and his cross was headed in at the back post by captain Aaron Goode. Three minutes later Lewis Taylor picked up the ball and played a perfect pass through the heart of the Robin’s defense. Koranteng ran onto it and poked it past Hamann to seal the three points. McCollin almost topped off his fine afternoon with a goal, but Hamann tipped his shot round the post, but by then the game was over.
Former K Ola Sogbanmu closed the gap as he headed in free-kick with fifteen minutes to go as the visitors took their foot off the gas. They were almost punished again as Gardiner blasted wide while clean through before Rob Tolfrey saved from Pinnock.
A comfortable win for Kingstonian who, with new additions to the squad, will be looking to push up the table and into the playoff places.
Report: Jamie Cutteridge
