12:00am Saturday 1st January 2000
Kingstonian 1 Yeovil Town 0.
This 5th Round FA Trophy match served up a tense nailbiter that lived up to all pre-match expectations.
Kingstonian manager Geoff Chapple and his Yeovil counterpart Colin Lippiatt are old friends and were partners at Woking, so they both knew one another's game plan.
The game had something of a chess match about it, with excellent defences and attackers trying to make the best of few goalscoring opportunities.
Although the Ks dominated, it looked like Yeovil's well-marshalled defence had done enough, until the 89th minute, when a lapse of concentration allowed central defender Simon Stewart to slip in to silence the Yeovil supporters.
It is only Kingstonian's second appearance in the quarter finals of the FA Trophy, the last being in 1990 when they went out to Barrow 1-0, after a 2-2 draw at Kingsmeadow.
Yeovil started well from the kick-off, but Ks responded on six minutes when Kofi Nymah blasted across the goalmouth.
Four minutes later Geoff Pitcher took off down the right, his near post cross was met by Kevin Rattray and his drive was only inches wide.
On 26 minutes a low cross from Ks wing back Tarkan Mustafa found an unmarked, David Leworthy and his drive looked goalbound until an unlucky deflection for a corner. On 40 minutes Yeovil skipper Steve Stott's chip was acrobatically saved by Farrelly. Then immediately Pickard broke through the Ks defence to lash in a tremendous low drive that Farrelly saved at full-stretch. With two minutes Stott and Patterson, already booked early on, clashed showing up the ferocious battle going on for midfield domination.
On the hour Farrelly raced out of his area to clear from striker Warren Patmore and then a few minutes later flashpoint as Patterson again clashed with Stott. The Glovers captain needed treatment and had to come off, Patterson was fortunate that he only received a tongue lashing from Mr Durso, a second yellow card would have been a disaster for the home side.
It seemed like deadlock until a minute later when Kofi Nyamah sent into the Glovers box a long, high free-kick, the visitors defence fatally hesitated, and an unmarked SIMON STEWART rose to head home across Pennock into the roof of the net with a perfect header.
There were six minutes of injury time, but one goal was always going to be enough.
Kingstonian: Steve Farrelly, Tarkan Mustafa, Kofi Nyamah, Matt Crossley, Simon Stewart, Mark Harris, Gary Patterson, Geoff Pitcher, Kevin Rattray, David Leworthy, Eddie Akuamoah. Subs ( none used): Scott Corbett, Danny Smith, Delton Francis, Dean Thomas, Jerome John.
Bookings: Gary Patterson and Matt Crossley.
Attendance: 1,783.
Drab Kingstonian fail to sparkle
Kingstonian 1
Carshalton Athletic 1
Kingstonian manager Geoff Chapple used the opportunity of this Surrey Senior Cup Semi-Final to give a run-out to the rustier members of his squad, and they almost secured a final against Woking or Sutton United.
Unfortunately the Ks seemed tired and muted after the excitement and razzmatazz of Saturday's Trophy victory over Yeovil and the mix of experience and youth did not quite gel against a team struggling at the wrong end of the Ryman Premier League. It was a drab, tedious game of little quality.
The Ks scored with their first attack after only 4 minutes when a long high ball by Simon Stewart was headed on by Kevin Rattray to David Leworthy who set up Geoff Pitcher out on the right. He beat two and dropped a deadly far post cross over keeper Stewart Searle and SCOTT CORBETT was close in to poach the header.
Chances were missed by both sides. And on 64 minutes Leworthy went close from a very acute angle.
In the 90th minute, just as it seemed the holders were in the final again, Robins sub and ex-Ks centre back Paul Carruth dropped a free-kick high into the Ks box. As it fell, JUNIOR HAYNES lashed at it with some force, picking up a wicked deflection and the ball sailed past stranded keeper John.
The home side rallied for the last few added minutes, Pitcher's free-kick was punched away by Searle and then Corbett picked up a long throw and tried a speculative low drive, but Searle held it.
Kingstonian: Jerome John, Danny Smith, Colin Luckett, Matt Crossley, Simon Stewart, Mark Harris, Scott Corbett, Geoff Pitcher, Kevin Rattray (sub Dean Thomas, 10 mins) David Leworthy, Eddie Akuamoah.
Subs: Mike Lester (not used), Gary Drewett (not used), Dean Thomas.
K's bookings: Danny Smith and Geoff Pitcher.
Attendance: 205.
Hampton miss out yet again
Basingstoke Town 1
Hampton 0
Once again Hampton failed to take their chances and instead of gaining at least a point, in their quest to move out of the bottom three, lost by a single goal.
With a stiff breeze blowing into their faces Hampton had difficulty keeping the ball in the Basingstoke half during the first 45 minutes but the home side seldom threatened either. Steve Croxford, John Crouch and Simon Connell worked well together and Peter Barnsby, gave valuable support.
Hampton's best chance of the half came when Damien Franklin burst through the Basingstoke defence. Home keeper Clive Little sprinted out and Franklin's delay allowed the keeper to save.
Hampton seemed unable to make use of the wind in the second half, and it was after a period of pressure that Basingstoke took the lead. Bruce Tydeman unleashed a fearsome shot from 20 yards that hit both posts before going in.
With time running out Jesse Hall had just the keeper to beat but crashed his shot wide to leave the home supporters breathing a deep sigh of relief.
Right at the death Russell made a tremendous save when Hampton forward Ian Mancey was left totally unmarked in the centre of the goal. A second goal for Basingstoke at that stage would have been a travesty.
Hampton: Mark Russell; Jamie Beer, Steve Croxford (Steve Cheshire 70), Simon Connell, Dudley Gardner, John Crouch, Jesse Hall, Ian Savage, Richard Vercesi, Damien Franklin, Peter Barnsby.
Subs not used: Craig Reilly, Nick Burton.
Ks KIDS go free
We've teamed up with Kingstonian to help make visits to Kingsmeadow a real family affair.
With a voucher from the Surrey Comet newspaper one child goes free with a paying adult, valid for the clash with Morecambe. All you have to do is present the voucher when you buy your ticket for the match.
Buy the Surrey Comet - just 30p from newsagents.
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