Paul Vines comes back to haunt Kingstonian

Ex-striker condemns unlucky K’s to back to back defeats<--break->“></p>



<p><strong>Kingstonian FC 2 – 3 Carshalton Athletic</strong></p>



<p>Paul Vines headed in a controversial winner to ensure that Kingstonian suffered two defeats on the bounce in the Isthmian League.</p>



<p>Vines and Dean Lodge were returning to Kingston after switching the Kingsmeadow for Carshalton Athletic and it was Vines who ensured that all three points would be returning to Colston Avenue, after heading in from a possibly offside position in the 63<sup>rd</sup> minute.</p>



<p>It could have been different however, as Kingstonian started at a blistering pace. Sam Clayton had the first sight of goal in only the first minute, but his effort flew wide of the travelling goal.</p>



<p>Despite dominating the opening stages of the game, the K’s found themselves trailing, when some slack defending allowed Laurent Hamici to battle through a backline that had conceded 29 goals already this season, and slot home to put the visitors in front.</p>



<p>The K’s responded well and in the 35th minute, captain Gary MacDonald was on hand to nod in the equaliser after Bobby Traynor’s long range effort came crashing back off the bar.</p>



<p>Carshalton and Kingstonian find themselves in mid-table positions for completely different reasons. For the Robins, finding the back of the net had proved the problem, whilst for the K’s, keeping the opposition out was their major concern, and just four minutes after the equaliser, the home support must have thought they’d seen another conceded.</p>



<p>As the ball was crossed in from the left, Kingstonian winger Tom Bird nearly diverted the ball into his own net, but to the relief of the home crowd, the ball rolled past the post, and out for a corner.</p>



<p>The second half was played at a blistering pace and Lodge came close to quieting the home support, who berated him throughout on his return when his long range effort narrowly missed the top corner.</p>



<p>It wasn’t long before the Robins were back on top, Hamici rising well to head in his second of the game, after an inviting cross from the right-hand side.</p>



<p>But, as they did in the first half, Kingstonian responded well, and only a few minutes later, MacDonald was on hand to plant a firm header of his own into the back of the net from a corner.</p>



<p>It was Vines who would have the final say though. Some desperate K’s defending saw Bird clear a shot off the line, but the ball eventually fell to the new Carshalton number 9, who firmly headed the ball into the back of the net. Complaints of offside fell on deaf ears, and the goal stood.</p>



<p>The game remained open, with the K’s looking for the equaliser and the Robins looking for the fourth goal to kill the game.</p>



<p>The game ended at 3-2, but Kingstonian had a great chance to level with virtually the last kick of the game. Debutant Jason Henry sent a cross in from the left which Mo Harkin did well to hit on the volley. Unfortunately for him and the home fans, the ball hit the post and bounced clear.</p>



<p>The result meant that Carshalton leap frogged Kingstonian into 13<sup>th</sup> place, with the K’s having played two games more.</p>

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