Knaphill match report
match report by Jamie Cutteridge
What a difference 10 months makes. In January, Ks needed penalties to advance past Knaphill in the FA Cup, and needed a late equaliser even to make it to the shootout. But on this October evening at King George’s Field, Hayden Bird’s side romped to a 5-1 victory. With just three days before a huge FA Cup game, the Kingstonian side saw tweaks rather than sweeping changes to it, and it was two of those ‘stand-ins’ who stole the show, as a brilliant Dan Thompson solo effort broke the deadlock, before a Calum Davies hat trick, including a sumptuous overhead kick, secured victory.
The opening 20 minutes saw Ks dominated possession without truly threatening the Knaphill goal, before Daniel Thompson opened his Kingstonian account. The big frontman ran at the visitor’s defence, beating his man before blasting a shot into the top corner from the edge of the area. Minutes later, the lead was doubled by Thompson’s strike partner, as Calum Davies decided it was time for his first goal, and he did so in some style. Dan Bennett dinked the ball in from the edge of the area and Davies jumped highest, pirouetted in mid-air before executing a perfect bicycle kick into the top corner. Minutes later, Davies had his second, in significantly less spectacular fashion, as his 20 yard effort saw a deflection wrongfoot the keeper and saw Ks into the break with a three-goal cushion.
There was no let up from Ks at the second period began. Daniels Bennett and Thompson both should have done better from inside the area with shots too close to the keeper, while Tom Kavanagh also went close. Eventually, the predictable fourth came, and it was Calum Davies who provided it, to round off his hat trick. A fine team move down the right led to substitute Youseff Bamba providing the pass, which Davies swept home from 10 yards out. A slight letup saw Matt Bunyan tiptoe in the back post to bundle home, before the four-goal lead was restored in injury time as some tidy passing found Tom Kavanagh in the area, who cooly sidestepped the keeper and powered it home. A comfortable 5-1 secured.
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Sean Clohessy, Fabio Saraiva, Jerry Puemo, Harry Osborne, Tom Kavanagh, Dan Bennett, Kenny Beaney, Dan Thompson, Calum Davies, Dan Hector.
Subs: Reece Hall (for Dan Bennett, 70m), Ben Harrison, Youssef Bamba (for Dan Hector, 70m), Tutu Henriques (for Jerry Puemo, 70m), Gus Sow.
Knaphill: Jason Leer, Les Sackey, Victor Ocansey, George Spiers, Owen Roberts, Dale Burnham, Jack French, Sam Balogun, Marlon Pinder, Kane Fitzgerald, Angel Zapata.
Subs: Matt Bunyan (for Marlon Pinder, 60m), Calvin Camara (for Victor Ocansey, 84m), Dan Band, Jay Welch (for Sam Balogun, 74m), Richard Ossai.
Goal scorers: Dan Thompson (24m, 1-0), Calum Davies (29m, 2-0), Calum Davies (44m, 3-0), Calum Davies (72m, 4-0), Matt Bunyan (89m, 4-1), Tom Kavanagh (92m, 5-1).
Attendance: 120
