Kingstonian 2 Wingate & Finchley 1

The Ks will now travel to Croydon Athletic or Welling United in the quarter-final.

It was a case similar to last Saturday of two successive strikes, the first a marvellous 30 yard lob by Liam Collins worth the entrance money alone and secondly a fine individual goal from striker Phil Williams, that was too much for the North Londoners who although immediately pegged a goal back couldn’t muster an equalizer in a goalless second half.

The Ks return to league action next Sunday (January 25th 3.00pm k.o.) at Kingsmeadow when they entertain neighbours Walton Casuals.

As expected it was the Blues who started strongly. In fact in the very first minute Tim Lees sent in a corner from the left which was headed over by K’s winger Ross Chalke hugging the near post. Then striker Leon Nelson took off down the middle of the park in pursuit but an alert Luke Naughton darted out of his box to clear. Winger Chris Chase took off down the right flank and sent in a low cross into the K’s goalmouth that went begging.

The K’s came into the game on 11 minutes when youngster Tom Dilloway curled an edge of the box free-kick over the Blues defensive wall but straight into the arms of keeper Gavin King on his line.

Lees sent in a free-kick from the right that was powerfully punched clear by Naughton caught up in a crowded Ks goalmouth. Williams took off at some pace down the right, the ball eventually finding Collins on the edge of the away box but his rising drive was straight at King. On 26 minutes another Lees corner this time found his skipper Marvin Samuel unmarked but he headed straight at Naughton.

Four minutes later though it was the Ks who broke the deadlock in dramatic style.

A routine edge of the Blues box headed clearance fell to LIAM COLLINS some thirty yards out, and seeing King off his line, coolly lobbed him, making a superb goal out of absolutely nothing. In the 34th minute the K’s moved nearer to the quarter final round when a Collins through set PHIL WILLIAMS free down the middle of the park, he went round the outcoming King, kept his head and colly slotted the ball home.

Rob Sheridan, who loves to attack, then sent in a searching far post cross that was well held by King at full-stretch.

Collins then set Sheridan free down the right but his well-struck low cross went begging. On 39 minutes the Blues kept in touch when a long throw from defender Kieran Street out on the left was not cleared by the K’s backline allowing CHRIS CHASE to bundle home from close range. Back came the K’s though, an NJ Lampton through ball set up Williams but King pushed his fierce drive away for a corner.

Then in additional time Julien Thompson did well to hold the ball up in the Blues box, he fed the ball into the path of Williams, but he unfortunately ran the ball just past the far post.

On 52 minutes a Collins corner from the left was only half-cleared to Chalke and his edge of the box strike was well held by an agile King.

The Blues replied with a Lees edge of the box free-kick which was well read by Naughton. Blues manager Michael Stone threw on a double substitution into the mix with the fresh legs of Dean Williams and ex-K’s man and England youth international Ahmet Rifat.

But it was the K’s who ended the game the stronger side. A Sheridan low cross from the right flank went agonisingly through a series of legs in the Blues goalmouth. On 67 minutes a fierce edge of the box drive from Thompson was punched clear by a full-stretch King.

Seven minutes later it was a case of what might have been. Williams started a run from his own half, he shrugged off a couple of defenders, but he unluckily slid the ball wide past the outcoming King.

Ks skipper Nick Rundell out on the left curled a free-kick onto the far post which deserved the attention of a nod. Williams broke through again but King smothered.

In the final minute sub Bobby Traynor popped up to dispossess centre back Bobby Aisen and he took off into the away box but his shot only find the side-netting.