So, a chance for some silverware before the Summer break. First, some statistics:
Head to Head in the London Senior Cup:
Kingstonian – 4
Bromley – 2
London Senior Cup wins:
Kingstonian – 3
Bromley – 4
Standings:
Kingstonian – Finished 11th in the Ryman Premier League
Bromley – Finished 15th in Conference South (4 points above relegation)
Form (in last 8 games):
Kingstonian – W2 D1 L5 F7 A12
Bromley – W1 D0 L7 F4 A22
In short, then, it’s not easy to predict the result of the Final. The two clubs have a very similar attitude to the London Senior Cup – a mixture of “we may as well enter” and “in it to win it” – but both camps have been making all the right noises about “ending the season on a high” and “winning a trophy for the fans”. The two team selections should provide an early indication of just how desperate each manager is to win the game. In particular, the selection of Player of the Season Joe Welch in goal for Bromley in place of George Howard – who’s been selected in every London Cup game so far – would demonstrate that Mark Goldberg really want to end the season on a high. For Kingstonian, Alan Dowson’s strongest XI is a little less obvious, as it’s the young players such as Jamil Okai and Luke Wanadio who have been the brightest sparks of the disappointing recent performances. However, Dowse has chosen to experiment tactically in recent games – the selection of right-footed defender Sidorowicz on the left wing at home to Concord being the strangest selection of all – and if the team lines up in a solid 4-4-2 or similar, then he means business.
Kingstonian’s season has almost exactly mirrored 2011/12: a tame mid-table finish, falling gates, poor performances in big games, and a London Senior Cup Final reached almost by accident. Again, the tantalising prospect of a pitch invasion and a trophy awaits with one good performance when it counts – and a win also offers the prospect of ending the year on a high, and starting next season with renewed hope and optimism. Last year the team put in a truly dire performance in the final, which meant that the supporters sloped off into the Summer even more dejected than they would otherwise have been. It would be a crying shame if the players let everybody down again: even if you can’t win it, boys, show some heart, break this downward spiral, and give us behind the goal something to shout about.
It should be close, it should be tense – but more than anything, it should be one of those fun nights to be a Kingstonian fan when we show what we’re about. COME ON YOU K’S!
THE KINGSTON ROAD END 