Kingstonian kicked off their pre-season campaign with a tough and combative game away to a strong Conference South Havant side on Saturday which at times was far from friendly.

With yellow cards flashed and players enouraged to take a break by the referee Mr Ashleigh Potter Ks had to soak up some serious pressure finally succumbing to a wonder goal from Brett Poate, which was worth the journey alone. Some old faces - Dave Ocquaye, Dean Lodge and Damian Panter - all turned out again to try their luck for a place in Stuart McIntyre's and Mark Harris's squad for the new season.

The home side were on the advantage having already beaten an AFC Bournemouth side last week so they immediately took the game to the visitors.

Richard Taylor did well to chest out a cross into the K's goalmouth on only 3 minutes and defender Steve Symes had an impressive game down the left flank.

On 7 minutes the K's had their first attack when Symes's low cross found Panter on the edge of the Hawks box but his shot was deflected wide. A high long free-kick on 16 minutes found Hawks skipper Tom Jordan deep in the K's box but his looping header was well caught by keeper Stephen Windegaard.

Three minutes later the home side went one better, a searching cross from Luke Byles from the left slipped through to striker CRAIG O'CONNOR close in and he confidentally slid the ball past a full-stretch Windegaard.

Poate's free-kick deep into the K's box looked problematic but Tommy Moorhouse headed clear. On 22 minutes Panter's run looked promising but he could only blast over. K's striker Charley Side then caused a kerfuffle deep in the Hawks box finding Scott Corbett close in.

He was blocked but the ball ran to Side who drove into the side-netting from an acute angle. Then Jon Coke from the halfway line let loose a vicious high lob that was only just tipped over by keeper Shane Gore.

With four minutes to the break Panter took off along the edge of the home box but his drive was comfortable for Gore. Then the experienced Fitzroy Simpson split the K's backline setting striker Carl Wilson-Denis down the right but his far post cross was no problem for Windegaard. Sampson did it again this time releasing winger Craig Watkins down the right but he lost his balance and could only find the side-netting.

Half-time saw a virtually new Hawks side and it was the K's who took the early advantage as the home side steadied. A Martyn Lee free-kick was headed over his own bar by Watkins.

Then Lee tried a low set piece drive which sub keeper Lee Taylor smothered. On 55 minutes the K's were level, a dogged run by CHARLEY SIDE down the middle of the park saw the K's striker force the ball home off a full-stretch Taylor. Back came the Hawks aided by the stylish ex-Farnborough striker Rocky Baptiste.

Windegaard did well to make an instinctive save from a dangerous far post corner, then a Baptiste header was cleared off the line by Symes.

A dangerous floating Baptiste cross form the left was headed away by sub Paul Wetherall on the far corner. The inevitable substitutions slowed the game down until the 75 minutes which turned out to be the highlight of the afternoon.

BRETT POATE let loose a screamer of a free-kick from some 30 yards that flew high past a diving Windegaard. The K's rallied well though,a consecutive Lodge corners looked promising and then the young trialist tore through the Hawks backline and set up unmarked Pablo Jenkins deep in the home box but his drive cannoned off a diving Taylor.

Ks: 1. Stephen Windegaard 2. Michael Brady (sub Tommy Moorhouse, 8mins) (sub Brady, 36mins) 3. Steve Symes (sub Matt Beadle, 75mins) 4. Scott Corbett (sub Paul Wetherall, 46mins) 5. Julian Sills (capt) (sub Tommy Moorhouse, 78mins) 6. Richard Taylor (sub John Butler, 65mins) 7. Wes Harrison (Dean Lodge, 53mins) 8. Danny Ward (sub Jon Coke, 11mins) (sub Ward, 46mins) (sub Mark Rhodes, 70mins) 9. Charley Side (sub Pablo Jenkins, 78mins) 10. Damian Panter (sub David Ocquaye, 53mins) 11. Martyn Lee (sub Jon Coke, 59mins). Subs: Jon Coke, John Butler, Dean Lodge, Paul Wetherall, David Ocquaye, Tommy Moorhouse, Mark Rhodes, Pablo Jenkins, Matt Beadle. Yellow Cards: Tommy Moorhouse and Steve Symes. Attendance: 229.