Moss Strikes Twice to Lift K’s
At half time in this FA Trophy tie at the Kingsmeadow, it felt like the season and much more was on the line. The next 45 minutes would decide much.
After four straight defeats in the league, three of them at home, there was a demand for a positive performance from the K’s, but at the break those calls were going unheeded.
Division One South side Lewes, suffering from suspension and injury problems, were in the lead and deservedly so, though they will have been disappointed with just the one goal.
The goal came in the 20th minute when from a corner, Jonte Smith deflected home a bullet header from an unmarked Stacey Freeman. K’s were fortunate to be just the one goal down at half time, a big performance would be needed once the tea cups were sent flying in the dressing room.
Lee O’Leary came on at half time for the home team, making a welcome second debut for the K’s after a brief spell offshore at Canvey Island. That was one of the catalysts for a remarkable turnaround, the other being the return of something that went on holiday after the League Cup Final win last season - a bit of good fortune.
Eight minutes into the second half, a calamitous piece of defending, when keeper Lucas Covolan and defender Steve Brinkhurst clobbered each other in trying to clear the ball, allowing a surprised Ryan Moss to walk the ball into the empty net.
Four minutes after that, Ryan Moss had given the K’s a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. This time it was courtesy of the good old-fashioned shoulder charge, always legal, usually penalised. The defender in question was once again Steve Brinkhurst, and once again Ryan Moss took full advantage, won the ball with the shoulder charge and beat keeper Covolan with a smart strike.
Most of the rest of the match was spent with nails being bitten, finger being crossed and general belief that K’s were going to find some way of messing this up.
They didn’t. K’s were more organised, more confident, Ryan Moss was millimetres away from the hat trick when he hit the bar from a George Wells cross, and ultimately they booked their place in the Second Qualifying Round with a highly encouraging second half performance.
Right, can we convert this to league points when we visit Hendon?
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Aaron Goode, George Wells, Aaron Lamont, Bruce Hogg, Alan Inns, Youssef Bamba, Sean Bonnett-Johnson, Ryan Moss, Tom Derry, Joe Turner.
