1st Team v Langford

No. 42   Saturday 5th April 2014.     Spartan South Midlands League – Division 1
Langford                                   0
Kings Langley                          8 (Campana 5,17,40, Carter 30, Connolly 65pen,77,86, Insley 85)
With the Division One promotion stakes now down to a three horse race, Kings had to be in ruthless mode against Langford, who parted company with their manager on Wednesday. Alex Campana started them on the path to victory with a low and powerful free kick after five minutes and the striker turned and converted a Jack Pattison pass soon afterwards. Langford exerted some pressure on the Kings’ defence with a couple of corners on twenty minutes, but a flowing move from defence between Dean Hitchcock, Tom Carter and Connor Toomey ended with Carter’s low header extending the lead on the half hour mark. A satisfactory first period was then rounded off when Pattison’s cross was blocked, but fell kindly for Campana to complete his sixth hat trick of the season from close range. Langford showed more resolution as the second half opened and Josh Cranwell drew a good save from Steve Bourke when through on goal. Kings then proceeded to waste a string of chances, with Alex Campana and Connor Toomey either putting wide or being foiled in one-on-one situations with Adam Harper. But when Callum Adebiyi went on one of his trademark power surges, the only way it could be halted was illegally and Gary Connolly dispatched the resultant penalty. The skipper was put through soon after to hook past Harper for number six and when Taylor Rheney and Keiran Ellis muffed a chance on the outnumbered Steve Bourke, home heads went down and Paul Insley flicked in a goal that was the hardest of the numerous chances that had fallen his way. The final act of note came when a mesmerising run across the width of the pitch by Alex Campana ended with his pinpoint cross giving Gary Connolly the easiest of close range headers to complete his own hat trick four minutes from the end.