Kingstonian may have lost their first four league games, conceding 19 goals, but the management team of Alan Dowson, Mark Hams and Martin Tyler have guided their side to finish the season in the play-off.

Ks will now play their old rivals Sutton United in a sizzling local derby at Gander Green Lane next Tuesday evening April 27th in the first of two play-off games.

The winners will then play Aveley or Boreham Wood for a place in the Conference South next season. A point from a tight, nervy encounter with Maidstone United was just enough for the Ks to grab a fifth place finish.

Ks opened the scoring on just 24 minutes through a speculative Matt Gray header but the Stones were never out of the game and equalized through a Danny Hockton penalty with just over 20 minutes to go.

Stones winger Chris Saunders was then sent off but the visitors well-organized defence comfortably kept the Ks at bay.

On just two minutes Gray's short corner move to Bobby Traynor looked promising but the Ks striker's first-time well-struck drive unluckily struck a defender.

On five minutes the visitors replied when winger Antonio Gonnella set up striker Adrian Stone onf the edge of the K's box but he belted the ball over. Four minutes later a Gonnella free-kick from the left found defender Rob Lyall on the far post but he headed straight at Ks keeper Rob Tolfrey.

On 24 minutes though it was the K's who took the lead. A long and high free-kick from Tolfrey found MATT GRAY on the edge of the Stones box and his looping header sailed over out of position Stones keeper Andy Walker.

Twelve minutes later the Stones could have equalized when an edge of the home box free-kick from Gonnella struck the Ks defensive wall.

Hockton made the follow-up and his fiercely struck low drive through a forest of legs looked goalbound until a full-stretch Tolfrey pushed the ball out for a corner.

A Gray free-kick from the left was headed out by Stones skipper Pete Hawkins on the near post. Then Gonnella took off on a pacy run down the left, cut in but blasted the ball over.

With a minute to the break Ks man of the match Adam Thompson found Traynor deep in the away box but the ball frustratingly just ran away from him. Then Traynor struck over from the edge of the Stones box.

The second half started with the Ks chasing that elusive second goal. Midfielder Mo Harkin set Traynor free in the Stones box but his low cross into the away goalmouth went begging.

On 54 minutes a little bit of magic almost led to a goal when Christian Jolley sent in a cross from the left, as Traynor lost his marker, but unfortunately he headed wide from close range.

The Stones then enjoyed a good period of pressure which they crowned with a goal.

Ks midfielder Simon Huckle was adjudged to have pushed the ball away with his hand by referee Mr Ian Bentley in the home box.

Upstepped striker DANNY HOCKTON on 68 minutes to forcibly fire the the spotkick into the left hand corner past a full-stretch Tolfrey.

Sub Dean Lodge set Traynor free down the right but his first-time effort sailed over.

On 74 minutes a Saunders foul on Thompson saw him receive a second yellow card and an early bath but the Stones backline remained calm. With a minute to go a Jolley throw found Gray but his cross from the left was well defended and cleared.

Four minutes was added on, a Gray chip into the Stones box saw Lodge give chase, but an alert Walker was there to mop up.

Ks. 1. Rob Tolfrey 2. Matt Gray 3. John Fletcher 4. Adam Thompson 5. Francis Duku (capt) 6. Simon Huckle 7. Luke Hickie 8. Mo Harkin 9. Bobby Traynor 10. Carl Wilson-Denis (sub Dean Lodge, 60 minutes) 11. Christian Jolley.

Subs: 12. Dean Lodge 13. Luke Garrard (G/k - not used) 14. Lee Hall (not used) 15. Rob Sheridan (not used) 16. Bashiru Alimi (not used).

K's Yellow Cards: Huckle.

K's Man of the Match: Adam Thompson Attendance: 517