An incredible comeback saw capped by a Danny Phillips goal just seven minutes from time saw Thamesmead Town secure an unlikely point in their battle at the bottom of the Ryman Premier League table, and put a dent in the Play Off aspirations of high flying Kingstonian.

A delightfully open game with chances galore at both ends, saw the visitors take a fortuitous lead when Josh Carey cross shot deflected home. Ryan Moss then added his 19th goal of the season just after half time, and when Tommy Whitnell’s penalty came back off a post on the hour, you really felt that it wasn’t going to be the Mead’s day!

But full credit to the home side for the way they responded – there is a sense of belief in the Thamesmead camp that they will fight until the final whistle – and ten minutes from time Shamir Mullings bundled the ball over the line to give them a lifeline; which they were to take just three minutes later when following an incredible run from Rashid Kamara, Phillips was on hand to fire past a wrong footed keeper to level the scores.

Incredibly there were still chances for both sides to win the game in a breathless finish, but the points were shared, much to the delight of Thamesmead boss Keith McMahon, who at the final whistle admitted having mixed emotions at the final whistle.

“Pleased, frustrated and proud all rolled into one I think. Its a game we could have won if I’m honest – we started the game excellently; missed a couple of big chances again and then conceded against the run of play yet again! We had a game plan going into the game but one or two weren’t exactly honest with their fitness. We made some changes and got somewhere near the side that I wanted to start with and it did the trick.”

The start to the game set the tone and can be summed up in one word – breathless – with both number nine’s going close early on. Mead keeper Sam Mott was please to see Junior Baker clear the ball off of the line as Moss burst through whilst at the other end Mullings stung K’s keeper Rob Tolfrey’s palms with an angled drive.

The visitors took the lead out of the blue when wing back Josh Casey drove in a cross from the left that took a cruel deflection taking the ball out of the reach of Mott and in the corner of the net. The lead was almost doubled in controversial fashion a few moments later as with Lewis Tozer lying motionless in the Kingstonian box following a corner, Mr Dolton allowed the visitors to break only for Mott to brilliantly deny both Andre McCollin and Tommy Kavanagh. The final chance of an entertaining half fell to the home side, but Phillips’ low drive (from Mullings knock down) had K’s keeper Rob Tolfrey scrambling to his left to save.

The visitors doubled their lead within two minutes of the restart when McCollin flicked on for Moss to knock the ball over the advancing Mott for 2-0.

Just before the hour mark, Thamesmead missed a huge chance to get back into the game when referee Dolton pointed to the spot and awarded a penalty for hand ball as the ball ricocheted around the box. Whitnell duly stepped up and beat Tolfrey with the spot kick only for the ball to hit the inside of the right post and rebound to safety.

The introduction of Rashid Kamara gave the home side a lift and not it wasn’t just when Kingstonian came forward they looked dangerous. Indeed Mott did really well to deny McCollin and then Kavanagh in one break and Moss in the next when McCollin played in his strike partner.

Ten minutes from time the home side got the lifeline that their efforts had deserved. Derek Duncan, who had a super game in midfield, hoisted a free kick into the Kingstonian box which wasn’t cleared and when Baker’s shot was blocked it fell to Mullings who scrambled the ball over the line. The Mead now poured forward looking for the equaliser, and they had loud cries for a second penalty as sub Chris Saunders seemed to be improved. But the equaliser duly arrived. An incredibly mazy dribble by Kamara saw him feed a delightful ball to Phillips who’s first time shot wrong footed Tolfrey and screamed into the net.

The game had turned on its head and Thamesmead suddenly had a precious point in their grasp. But it was a precious point that they nearly lost, as the K’s piled forward and the Mead goal had two remarkable escapes. Firstly McCollin was denied by a brilliantly timed tackle from Jack Hopkins after Mott made a very sharp save, before Sweeney’s follow up was blocked by Ashley Probets. Incredibly it was then Moss’ turn to sprint clear, and a she tried to round Mott, Tozer made a fabulous tackle which Hopkins was able to hack away to safety.

A pulsating game that in truth may have denied both sides two points in their respective goals, but then again a point is a point and who knows…
THAMESMEAD TOWN – Sam Mott, Jack Hopkins, Jay Porter (Ashley Probets 57), Junior Baker, Lewis Tozer, Josh Hill (Rashid Kamara 57), Sean Roberts, Derek Duncan, Shamir Mullings, Tommy Whitnell (Chris Saunders 66), Danny Phillips

Subs not used – Richard Butler, Rob Budd

KINGSTONIAN – Rob Tolfrey, Aaron Goode, Josh Casey, Matt Drage, Sean Ray, Charles Ofosu-Hene (Jack Clark 24), Tommy Kavanagh (Tom Jelley 79), Ryan Moss, Andre McCollin, Dan Sweeney

Subs not used – Dee Okojie, Bruce Hogg, Adam Faith

Referee – Mr O Dolton
Assistants – Mr F Collins & Mr S Idris