Bank Holiday Monday Match Preview - Kingstonian (Away) KO 3.00pm

Carnival or the Costas? No such dilemma for the Hamlet as they head off to Kingston Town.

It's been a rollercoaster start for the men from Kingsmeadow this term with three wins, three defeats and a draw from games in all competitions so far. Those seven games have seen 28 goals scored, a tasty average of four per match along with the biggest win of the season so far when K’s slammed seven past the Met Police just over a fortnight ago.

Things did not begin well for Kingstonians as the fixture computer sent them off on the long trip to Leiston on day one. Traffic problems on the M25 turned a tough trek at the best of times into a tortuous five hour journey north. After a promising start with Pelayo Pico Gomez giving the travellers fans some joy with the afternoon’s opener, things turned bad for the K’s as Leiston bagged an equaliser five minutes before the break before sealing victory five minutes after. Pico Gomez had the opportunity to ensure it was not a pointless return but failed to convert a late penalty to level.

If that had been frustrating the first home contest of the new campaign at home to Leatherhead was to prove a nightmarish one. The Tanners’ Vas Karagiannis bagged a brace, defender George Wells tasked to mark the the Leatherhead goalscorer secured only an early bath before the break with Phil Walsh adding the Tanners’ third from the resultant freekick. Someone had to suffer for this and so it proved the following Saturday as the Met Police found themselves subject to a brutal battering at the hands of Tommy Williams’ team. Flying winger Dan Bennett, already starting to draw comparisons with the legendary Dean Lodge, tore down their flanks, grabbing a brace inside the first 20 minutes. Peter Dean made it three before the break but it wasn’t until the final twenty minutes that Kingston really went to town. Pico Gomez added a fourth on 70, four minutes later Bennett completed his hattrick. Jake Kempton found the net with 8 minutes left to take the tally to six with Tyron Smith putted the tin lid on the rout with number seven in stoppage time.

The League Cup break took the K’s off to Earlsmead and a seesaw tie against Harrow Borough. Taking an early lead through Arron Hopkinson, Kingstonians were pegged back when Connor French bundled home an equaliser midway through the half. Just before the break Pico Gomez restored K’s advantage with Daniel Sweeney extending the lead to 3-1 with a quarter hour left on the clock. Deep in stoppage time Michael Bryan pulled one back but any hopes of a lastgasp fightback disappeared as the final whistle blew shortly afterwards.

In the wake of the Met Police demolition, the return to league action was eagerly anticipated but any momentum from that game seemed to have vanished as a Billy Healey double had Wingate and Finchley in full control at the Harry Abrahams Stadium. Another goal from Dan Bennett closed the gap with ten minutes left but it rather flattered a rather flat performance from Williams’ team.

The visit of winless VCD to Kingsmeadow last Monday proved to be the catalyst for a return to form, particularly with former Dulwich favourite Rob Tolfrey retuning between the sticks. However the struggling Kent side proved something of an irritant early on and it was not until Pico Gomez ticked one away in the closing stages of the first half that K’s began to turn the screw. 20 minutes into the second half Pico Gomez converted a penalty and with Tyron Smith adding a third ten minutes later K’s booked a much needed confidence boosting three points.

On Saturday a trip down the Thames to Essex saw Kingstonians take on East Thurrock. For once the momentum seeming to be maintained as Bennett scored a fine individual goal to put the visitors a goal ahead just before halftime. On 69 minutes Pico Gomez drilled home a second putting the K’s well on the way to first back to back victories of the league campaign. However the Rocks had other ideas though it needed a helping boot from K’s defender Max Hustwick to throw them a lifeline, his attempted back pass wrong footing Tolfrey and nestling in the net. The goal forced Kingstonian on to the back foot, strikers substituted for defenders. It was to backfire as East Thurrock’s Harry Honesty was upended by Tolfrey allowing Lewis Smith to convert a penalty at the death.

This evening’s game kicks off at 7.45 pm at Kingsmeadow Stadium, Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 3PB. Directions can be found on the Kingstonian website by clicking here

Stand/Terrace

• Adult: £10
• Senior (60 & over): £6
• Student: £4 (upon production of a Student Card)
• Junior (Under 16's): FREE

Hospitality
Individual: £25
As well as admission to the match, hospitality tickets include entry to the Patrons Lounge from an hour before kick off, match programme, hot drinks and snacks before the game and during half time, and a food buffet after the game.
These tickets are available on match days on the lounge door, which is on the left hand side inside the main entrance foyer.