Disciplined K’s Gain Valuable Three Points
The first part of a trilogy if often the easiest. No expectations. No lazy comparisons with the first or second parts. Heck, most of the time the first part of a trilogy doesn't know it's the first part of a trilogy, it just thinks it is it.
And so Kingstonian's first clash with Tonbridge was probably the easiest of the three-in-ten-days saga that it turned into. After an impressive midweek win at Hendon, Kingstonian continued their good form by heading to Kent, and becoming the first away side to take three points away from Longmead this season, in a performance that was all the more impressive for its unremarkable nature.
Perhaps the opening minutes set the tone for the whole series. An early Joe Turner corner was met with a crashing header from Alan Inns (who spent the next 10 days winning every. single. header) which gave di Bernardo less than no chance. And to be honest, for the rest of the game, that was pretty much that. The Kingstonian backline held firm, brilliantly shielded by the 'continuing welcome return of' Lee O'Leary, barely giving the higher-flying hosts a sniff. The closest Steve McKimm's side came was an effort from Luke Blewden from the edge of an area, which rattled the angle of post and bar, with Rob Tolfrey in close attendance.
At the other end, Kingstonian's lack of chances stemmed from a lack of the ball. For huge portions of the second period, nine of Ks team sat off the hosts, inviting them to do their worst, while Moss and a Turner sweated every ounce of liquid in their body out, hassling and causing problems. It was a great, hard-working, not-particularly-exciting team performance, the kind you can only pull off with an early goal.
So that was the start of the sequel. Obviously there was a rocky patch in the second act before a glorious resolution to conclude, but the finale was built on a solid, hard-earned, league victory in act one.
Match report by Jamie Cutteridge.
