INCONSISTENCY has been a problem for Kingswood this season, and it once again arose with an inept home performance against fellow county league newcomers Brimscombe & Thrupp.

The home side began well enough and as early as the fifth minute had the ball in the net, but Paul Bleaken was adjudged offside.

With the elements in their favour, the visitors enjoyed the majority of possession and on ten minutes turned this to their advantage as Gary Probert struck from close range past Chris Fox.

Tom Higgins had a chance to level things as the ball fell to his favoured left foot, but his shot flew over the crossbar.

The industrious Ian Mills forged into the penalty area on 33 minutes and was clattered to the ground by a clumsy challenge from goalkeeper Adam Thomas, resulting in a caution and a penalty award to the home side. Gavin Dibden despatched the kick low to Thomas’s right for 1-1.

The second period saw Kingswood with the wind on their backs, but that seemed to inspire Brimscombe more, who upped their game.

A Dibden header hit the bar and Higgins shot wide with one effort and had another saved from point blank range by Thomas, but it was Brimscombe who took the lead once again on 80 minutes.

Aaron Booth strode away from a square backline, and stroked his shot home.

Kingswood failed to rally and the game was made safe on 88 minutes for the visitors when John Dalton again exposed some sloppy defending.