Kingstonian 3 – 3 Wealdstone
Kingstonian
3 - 3
WealdstoneIn a breathtaking game at a wet Kingsmeadow ground on Thursday night, periods of superb attacking play from both sides was matched by equally inept defensive frailties. This was high entertainment for the lucky but thin crowd of 277 sodden souls but both managers will be reaching for the diazepam after this amazing encounter.
Stones have now conceded eight times in just three matches and this must be cause for concern but continuing to find replacements for a succession of injured key players is a luxury that Manager Gordon Bartlett will find ever harder to afford.
But at the end of all of this dramatic evening Stones will be grateful for another useful point against a side second in the table and in-form, which moves them up the table and provides a platform for a key match on Saturday, weather and pitch permitting, against strugglers Margate. But, perhaps inevitably, this precious point was not achieved without further cost – Jimmy Gray who went down near the end with a reoccurrence of his shoulder problem after already battling with a back injury.
Stones started brightly and took the game to the K’s with the impressive Danny Spendlove just over with a good free kick. And then Jamie Osborne, given a chance to impress in the starting line up, almost gained reward for his hard work with a great run and shot.
But the home side took the lead against the run of play when they netted after only 13 minutes after Sean Thomas had punched clear but only to the boot of grateful Ks debutant Andy White signed a few days before from Reading,.
Worse was to follow for an incredulous Stones side. After Thomas had saved well from a long free kick and Stones attacked with Callum Martin going close, the home side scored on the break with hit man Bobby Traynor taking his side into a 2-0 lead.
A shell shocked Wealdstone were now rocking but to their credit gradually called on fresh reserves of inherent attacking flair and endeavour. James Gray, Spendlove and Martin all went close before the mercurial Callum Martin pulled out an absolute peach of a goal with a back heeled effort on 32 minutes.
Astonishingly Stones were level within 20 seconds of Martin’s extraordinary effort. Danny Spendlove netted with a super breakaway effort to ignite celebratory mayhem from the large away following on the terraces. The scores were level at 2-2 at the break
An industrious Jamie Osborne again went close early in the second period when he broke through the fragile Ks back line but fired just over.
But Wealdstone’s worryingly brittle defence was soon breached again when the home side broke swiftly for 3-2 from Christen Jolley only 5 minutes into the half.
The amazing scoring sequence was maintained when only 4 minutes later Stones again equalised. Ryan Ashe fired in a great free kick and Adam Logie stole in to net with a neat glancing header.
Stones dug in as both sides had chances to win the game; play became more stretched and scrappy at times but the scoring was mercifully complete and both sides returned to their respective dressing rooms with decidedly mixed emotions.
Wealdstone: Thomas, McCoy, Lavers, Gray, Fitzgerald, Ashe, Smith, Logie, Martin, Jamie Osborne, Spendlove. Subs used: E’Beyer, Mpi, Johnson. N/u: Beagle