"This is going to be a good one", predicted Kingstonian programme editor Robert Wooldridge, and few among the Ks' biggest attendance of the season would argue after witnessing this pulsating encounter but Horsham will wonder how they returned without so much as a point after dominating much of the second half of this highly entertaining Ryman Premier Division clash. That they didn’t was ultimately down to two moments of sloppiness in defence, emphatically punished by Simon Huckle and Karl Beckford, but some scintillating attacking play after the break surely merited more than Ben Andrews’ 4th goal of the season, a towering header from Lee Carney’s corner kick. Yet, for all the good that preceded it, the match was to end with a worrying injury to the Hornets’ Mark Knee who was taken away by ambulance after being knocked unconscious.

Dartford’s relentless march at the top of the table aside, Kingstonian are the division’s form team but both sides went in to this game on the back of good away wins at the weekend. The Ks’ 2-1 victory at Canvey Island extended their unbeaten league and cup run to 5 games, a smart turn around in form after a woeful start to the campaign that had seen them concede 19 goals in their first 4 matches, while the Hornets’ 3-1 success at Margate had put them to within a victory of a place among the top 4.

Horsham were able to welcome back Carney and Andrews to the side, after both players missed the trip to the Kent coast, but it was another case of 2 in, 2 out for John Maggs with Gary Charman and Steve Davies ruled out through injury. A fractured ankle looks set to keep Davies out of action for at least 5-6 weeks while Charman was diagnosed as suffering from delayed concussion after collapsing at work during the day, the result of taking a stud to the head at the weekend. Kingstonian, virtually rebuilt by manager Alan Dowson after their awful start, showed just 1 change to Saturday’s line-up with Beckford replacing former Crawley midfielder Mo Harkin.

The home side got the game under way defending the Kingston Road end of the ground, behind which were gathered a large band of travelling fans for whom Kingsmeadow has become a favourite away day in recent seasons, and they would have been pleased with their side’s positive start that saw Ks goalkeeping skipper Luke Garrard twice called upon to make saves inside the opening 4 minutes from Russell Eldridge and Anthony Acheampong. Full-back Matt Gray was to prove his ability from the dead ball later in the game but it was he who would have the hosts’ first effort on goal when he took advantage of a lucky rebound off Alex Haddow to advance on goal, only to drag his shot wide. Haddow then became the meat in a Ks sandwich, although it was Beckford who required treatment, before Dean Lodge’s shot went the way of Gray’s and failed to trouble Rob Tolfrey in the Hornets’ goal.

Beckford made it a hat-trick of wayward shooting for the hosts when his optimistic strike wasted a promising attack and he was rightly chastised by his team-mates who had taken up good positions in support. The pressure continued to come from the home side, though, and when the pacy Lodge beat Delando Smith down the Ks left, his deep cross was well collected by Carl Wilson-Denis who swivelled and hit a good low shot that was well saved by Tolfrey.

The visitors’ luck wasn’t to last as, with 20 minutes gone, Kingstonian opened the scoring. Tolfrey’s terrific save kept out a fierce drive from Boateng but the ‘keeper was powerless to prevent Huckle from giving his side the lead from the resulting corner when he rose to nod home Gray’s well flighted cross. Horsham were desperately unlucky not to force an equaliser in their next attack when a neat exchange of passes between Pat Harding and Jack Lyons saw the latter embark on a great run past the static Ks defence but, with his measured cutback looking destined for the far corner, Max Hustwick was on hand to hack the ball away to safety.

The Hornets continued to press and a smart counter-attack looked to have broken down until Eldridge retrieved and delivered the ball in to the area where Andrews beat 2 defenders but could only watch as his header flew narrowly past the post. However, the visitors found themselves 2-0 down within a minute when, with the home fans appealing for a foul on the edge of the Horsham box, Gray collected the loose ball and picked out the unmarked Beckford who buried his header from 6 yards.

Despite all their good work, John Maggs’ side looked down and out with little more than a quarter of the game gone but Lyons’ clever touch reminded the Ks defence that this match was far from over and they were grateful for Garrard’s quick reactions as he raced from his line to prevent Harding from capitalising on his team-mate’s creativity. Andrews went in to the book for apparent dissent when a free-kick was harshly awarded against Acheampong and, from Gray’s subsequent lay off, Lodge struck a fierce shot straight at Tolfrey. Gray proved he was more than just a set-piece specialist when he popped up in his own area to prevent Acheampong and Andrews from converting Carney’s teasing cross before Hustwick and Boateng were cautioned in quick succession.

Huckle almost made the Hornets rearguard pay for another momentary lapse in concentration when he was picked out at the far post by that man Gray but the midfielder’s sweeping first-time volley was swallowed up by Tolfrey. Horsham had a great chance to haul themselves back in to the game just before the interval when an incisive break involving Carney and Lyons saw Harding put through on goal and, although Garrard was out smartly to save with his feet, the striker should have done better than to put the rebound in to the side netting. Lyons almost capped an impressive first 45 minutes when he arrowed a cracking shot from 20 yards that fizzed past the far post to give the Hornets fans high hopes of retrieving something from the game after the break.

H/T Kingstonian 2 Horsham 0

The second half was just 2 minutes old when Horsham gave early indication of their intent, Andrews flicking on Smith’s throw for Harding to control and shoot straight at Garrard. A 40 yard run from the dangerous Lodge was unceremoniously ended by Eldridge’s bodycheck, an offence that earned the Horsham man a yellow card, but when Bobby Traynor fell theatrically under the challenge of Sam Page on the edge of the Hornets’ penalty area it provided the hosts with an opportunity to further extend their advantage and they nearly did so when a well rehearsed training ground move let in Traynor but his angled drive was pushed away by Tolfrey, and hacked clear by the relieved defence.

Horsham were guilty of trying to pass the ball through the eye of the proverbial needle at times but they found their groove with some exciting one touch approach play that was only spoilt by Harding’s profligate finishing, slicing the ball well wide of the target. The former Eastbourne man then conceded an unnecessary foul, after tracking back some 30 yards and bringing down his man, and when Gray’s pinpoint delivery was met by Wilson-Denis it looked for all the world that the Ks had got their 3rd goal of the night, until Tolfrey launched himself full length to acrobatically turn the ball behind, and the importance of the save was highlighted minutes later when Horsham halved the deficit. A sweeping pass from Eldridge set Haddow off on a jinking run that earned his side a corner and, as Carney chipped the ball in to the box, it was Andrews who leapt highest to power a header in to the top corner of the net for a thoroughly deserved goal for the Hornets.

Having done the hard work to drag themselves back in to the contest, it was almost undone in an instant when Tolfrey dropped a corner at the feet of Hustwick who could only blaze over from close range, to the relief of the errant ‘keeper. This increasingly open contest then found Boateng leading the charge, as a Horsham corner was cleared, and an exchange of passes with Wilson-Denis saw the ex-Carshalton man hit a rising shot that just cleared the crossbar. Time for a change, and the Ks’ Rob Sheridan was sent on for Beckford with just under 20 minutes remaining while Lyons moved to a more central attacking role for the Hornets. Carney, showing surprisingly no signs of having arrived back in the UK at 4am after a weekend in Ibiza, battled successfully for possession of the ball and played Andrews down the line but his low cross was cleared off the toe of Lyons for a corner that was to come to nought.

Acheampong became the 3rd visiting player to pick up a caution from referee Charles Breakspear when he felled Wilson-Denis and the big defender was replaced by Tony Nwachukwu with 5 minutes remaining, in a bold swap by Maggs. Smith tested Garrard with a low shot, after Gray’s first error of the match had seen him lose possession when trying to run the ball out of defence, before the Hornets laid siege to the Kingstonian goal for the final few minutes. Tolfrey’s free-kick from the halfway line saw Horsham win a corner but then came Knee’s moment of agony. Throwing himself in bravely amid a sea of bodies, the full-back lay unconscious on the floor while concerned team-mates and opponents signalled frantically for medical assistance. Only the prompt actions of Andrews, and physio Andi Marfleet, averted a disaster after Knee swallowed his tongue and there were distressing scenes as he was eventually helped to his feet, only to collapse once again. Thankfully an ambulance was quickly on the scene and Knee left the field upright on a stretcher, to generous applause from around the ground. Sadly, his team-mates were unable to provide a fitting finale for their stricken colleague as the resulting corner saw Harding’s scrambled effort saved by Garrard and Kingstonian’s remarkable recovery continued with this 5th win in 6 games.

Despite this defeat, there were plenty of positives to take out of the game for Maggs whose players were given warm praise from Ks assistant coach, SKY TV commentator Martin Tyler, who described the Hornets as the best side his team had faced this season.

NEXT MATCH: v Bognor Regis Town (a) Saturday 26th September ko 3pm