A third successive win over a top-four team and it appears that the Kingstonian slump is over. Despite 12 days off, their performance matched if not bettered those in the wins over Hendon and Lewes, with some free-flowing, goal-scoring football matched by heroic defensive efforts in a 4-2 win over an obdurate Cray Wanderers side.

The game centred on a crazy 57th minute where Kingstonian went from 2-1 down to 3-2 up, a blow which, whilst hurting Cray, did not knock them out - that was to come later.

Cray had started well, a tap-in for Jack Clark following good work from Chris Saunders and a far-post Saunders header after Danny Phillips footwork had left Neil Jenkins’ unaware of what postcode he was in, gave Cray two first half goals. Despite these being sandwiched by a Simon Huckle header, Cray were by far the better side, with Saunders again testing Tolfrey and Clark smashing a 25 yard thunderbolt on that sweet post-crossbar spot. Down the other end the closest the hosts came to restoring parity was a header from Tom Hutchinson which squirmed wide.

Ks were already exerting pressure as the strong running of Romone McCrae caused problems, but the equaliser came from a far more unlikely source. Neil Jenkins’ deep free kick was a quick one, and found centre-half and captain MacDonald at the back post. His shot was straight at the keeper who could only palm it over his head, and into the far corner. Cray had no time to re-take the lead, immediately Bobby Traynor put pressure on the defence, stealing the ball and playing in Ali Chaaban, his powerful drive left Andy Walker in the Cray goal grasping at mid-air, a game-defining minute.

Cray piled bodies forward, Jenkins, Hutchinson, MacDonald and Chris Page threw themselves in front of everything and it was left for Allan Tait to finish the job, picking up Alimi’s pass and nonchalantly slotting the ball home. 4-2 and a scoreline that, after an impressive second half, did not flatter the hosts. Onwards and upwards for Kingstonian, pressure relieved, in fact completely gone, on Alan Dowson, and for the first time this season, a real air of optimism at Kingsmeadow.