Ryman Premier Division

Carshalton Athletic 1 Kingstonian 2

Barry Stevens' dismissal just after the hour in Monday's match proved the turning point as Carshalton let a 1-0 lead slip with 10 men, conceding two late goals.

Bobby Traynor was attributed with both strikes in the dying minutes of the game to inflict a second Bank Holiday weekend defeat on the Robins.

Carshalton were much improved after -- in boss Hayden Bird's words -- they "didn't turn up" at Aveley last Saturday, where they lost 4-0.

The first-half performance was what Bird ordered against a Ks side much changed after a poor start to the season.

Visiting boss Alan Dowson had brought in seven new faces, including two from Carshalton, Matt Gray, who was excellent on the right of midfield and Karl Beckford, who began on the bench, and a third former Robins player, Des Boateng, after he played three times for Merstham.

Right-back Sam Stannard (Sutton), Lee Hall (Harrow), Mo Harkin, (on loan from Farnborough) and Dean Lodge, who had trials at various Conference clubs in the summer, were the other new additions.

Bird's starting XI featured nine players who made the Ryman play-offs last season, keeper Matt Reed (Tonbridge) and left-back Scott Cousins (Havant) the additions. On the bench sat former Wimbledon and Maidenhead midfielder Wes Daly and ex-Hereford and Millwall player Jack MacLeod, signed last week.

Daly was one of several new faces, like Gray, announced at a fans' forum in June. Striker Frankie Sawyer (Met Police) and Antonio Gonnella (Maidstone) have departed on what Bird described as "gentlemen loan agreements".

Carshalton looked as if they would win comfortably in the first half, dominating possession.

Richard Jolly had the ball in the net after six minutes but he was ruled offside. Then striker partner Charlie Ide's volley rattled the crossbar and bounced to safety.

But on 13 minutes the hosts had the breakthrough. Liam Harwood's ball found Jolly unmarked at the back of a crowded area and he leaned back, volleyed the ball down and past Luke Garrard to finish a move that had started with his poorly-delivered free-kick.

Carl Wilson-Dennis forced Reed into facile action before fellow striker Traynor, who also survived Dowson's cull, had a shot deflected past the post midway through the first half.

Stevens hooked the ball just wide as Carshalton largely dominated the first half, in which the midfielder was one of three players booked.

After 35 minutes, Carshalton could have scored again.

Ide showed lovely close control to supply Jolly, whose shot was blocked and Stevens' follow-up was smothered by Garrard.

As good as the Robins were in the first half, Ks -- gelling fast despite all their changes -- were good in the second. Signs of their growing influence were happening even before Stevens was sent off for a lunge. He injured himself and got a second yellow card.

Instantly after the break, Traynor put a good chance wide before, at the other end, Jamie England's deep cross was looped on the volley over the bar by Ide.

Garrard almost had an embarrassing moment when a hopeful ball from Carshalton he thought was going out had to be helped at the expense of a corner.

Stevens cleared from under the nose of increasingly influential Wilson-Dennis before his dismissal changed the game.

After that incident, Bird took off cultured striker Ide, reverting to 4-4-1, and Ks became the dominant force.

The pick of their chances were Gray's three crosses to be the back post for substitute Simon Huckle to head over and his own volley, put over the top when he had time and space to create a better chance.

All the hard work put in by Carshalton's defence -- Lewis Gonsalves continually neutralising the threat of Wilson-Dennis, just as Jolly was restricted in the second half by the large Francis Duku -- looked like it would pay off.

But with two minutes left Reed was left helpless as Stannard supplied Traynor with the perfect ball down the left channel to slot past the keeper.

Then with time running out Traynor headed in from a corner. He claimed it, but the ball could have taken a deflection on its way past Reed.

While if both sides had kept 11 men on the field Carshalton were the better side, there is no doubt that Ks' new faces have bonded quickly, having the desired affect after the rise in standard after promotion took them by surprise.

Carshalton, who will miss Ide at Horsham this weekend after his recent sending off, have something to find to match their ambitions of repeating last year's role as promotion candidates.

Carshalton: Reed, Graves, Gonsalves, Harwood, Cousins, Alimi, Stevens, Toppin, Ide (MacLeod 64), Jolly, England (Daly 56). Subs not used: Carpenter, Stone, Honey.

Kingstonian: Garrard, Stannard (Cook 76), Hall, Hastwick, Duku, Harkin (Huckle 63), Gray, Boateng (Beckford 82), Traynor, Wilson-Dennis, Lodge. Not used: Williams, Sheridon