Leigh Dynan was dismissed on Saturday night after managing K’s to a 7-1 defeat at Dorking Wanderers, writes Taimour Lay.

His reign ends after just 16 months, and a rocky 2018/19 campaign, with the team 13th in the league following a run of six straight defeats.

An expensive squad had been expected to challenge for the Isthmian Premier title but the bleakest of winters ultimately rendered Dynan’s position untenable.

The Board of Directors, all of whom were present at Meadowbank, hope to install a new manager by next Saturday’s home fixture with Carshalton Athletic. There are indications that Bradley Quinton, the former Enfield and Braintree boss, is in the running.

Dynan told the Surrey Comet on Sunday that an injury crisis had caused the slump and he would have turned it round. “It’s been a rollercoaster but I would’ve got K’s in the play-offs even after Saturday," he said.

"I was still on target. That was my remit. I didn’t fail because I’d become a bad manager overnight. I failed because of the injuries.

"I just feel that it was losing key players in bulk in such a short space of time. And we didn’t have the budget people are claiming.”

Assistant manager, Jamie Lawrence, has also departed. He tweeted: “I’d like to say thank you to Kingstonian and the Gaffa for the chance to be back in football. Sorry it hasn’t gone how I wanted it to go.”

“The fans were amazing today”, director Mark Anderson tweeted after the loss. “I am totally embarrassed, as should all players, staff and those associated with club in an official capacity. Sorry and thanks for your support”.

Early exits from the FA Cup and FA Trophy, and the use of 49 players so far this season, had already contributed to increasing frustration on the terraces.

Dynan can point towards a positive run at the turn of the year which lifted the team to second but an injury to star Crystal Palace winger James Daly, coupled with the loss of Charlton loanees, started to expose the team’s deeper problems.

It all culminated in Saturday’s collapse. After a relatively bright start, two defensive lapses soon saw K’s 2-0 down. The team fell asleep defending a short-corner, with Sami El-Abd left in acres of space to calmly nod Wanderers into a 15th minute lead.

Things quickly got worse. James McShane rattled the crossbar from close range, and with K's unable to fully clear their lines, Lewis Taylor - completely unmarked on the penalty spot - rifled home.

It was soon 3-0 after the break when Rob Tolfrey couldn't get a strong enough hand to Tom Richards’ low drive, and 4-0 when Jason Prior sent a looping header into the corner of the net.

A sizeable contingent of K’s fans could at least celebrate Dean Inman nodding home a consolation on 77 minutes.

Sadly, that morale boost could not stem the tide, triggering wave after wave of home attacks for the remainder of the match - and three more goals.

It was 5-1 when Tom Tolfrey superbly twisted and turned to play in Richards for his second of the game, and 6-1 when McShane reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box and this time blasted the ball under the bar.

Tolfrey prodded past his namesake in injury-time to complete the the worst K's rout since a 7-0 defeat at Enfield in September 1972.