K’s Provide All The Tricks, Receive All The Treats on Halloween
If Wednesday night had been an amicable date, if lacking a real spark, the follow-up showed very quickly that Ks and Leatherhead would not be meeting again soon. This time it was Ks who were full of confidence, Leatherhead who seemed nervous and unable to handle the situation. By half time it was clear which way it was going, and both parties were left wondering why they had ordered starters as they went through the motions towards the inevitably loveless conclusion.
Ks were on the scoreboard in only the seventh minute. Louis Wells could only parry out an angular shot from loanee George Oakley and Pelayo Pico Gomez was on hand to turn the rebound in.
The lead was doubled in the 26th minute, when Dan Bennett whipped a free kick into the box and Lee O'Leary stole through the crowd of players to poke the ball home from close range. Wells could justifiably be angry with his defence.
Peter Dean got in on the act just before half time, controlling a ball into the box and firing confidently past Wells before haring off in ecstatic celebration.
Leatherhead had a good chance just after half time but Rob Tolfrey saved Adam Yussuf's effort, and soon it was 4-0. This time Oakley grabbed the goal, latching onto a ball behind the defence and blasting past Wells to mark an impressive debut.
Bennett got the fifth, finishing from close range as Wells' frustration with his absent defence no doubt grew. Vasieleious Karagiannis fired over late on and Kiernan Hughes-Mason scored a late penalty rebound after Rob Tolfrey saved the spot kick but it didn't take the gloss off a fine Ks performance.
Perhaps she had dreamed of another date on Monday night, but this time he didn't want to know. Perhaps she had dreamed of a happy future together; romantic winter nights by the fire, meeting each other's families, selfies at a Chelsea Ladies or Reserves game, eventually marriage.
Chris Kelly would walk her down the aisle and give her away to the boy he once loved liked his own son. Those of importance to both their lives would be there - Dave Harlow, Tommy Moorhouse, Tommy Williams. He would invite Butterworth. She knew he was becoming homeless but it wouldn't matter if love could get them through.
None of that was to be though. He moved quickly on and marked his diary to have another date on 14 November; he doesn't know who it will be with yet but it won't be with Leatherhead. Barkingside either, much to his relief. He's back on Tinder though and hoping he can take a girl all the way to Wembley as he did way back in his youth.
Match report by Simon Grier.
