1st Team v Arlesey Town Reserves

No. 51   Thursday 1st May 2014.     Spartan South Midlands League – Division 1
Arlesey Town Reserves                 0
Kings Langley                                 0
The last thing Kings Langley needed was a trip north to replay a previously abandoned fixture on a damp Thursday night, two days after defeating Amersham and two days prior to their promotion decider against Bedford. Add to this the fact that Arlesey started with only two of the players that had trailed 0-3 to Kings with 20 minutes left before fog extinguished the previous encounter, and fought as if their lives depended on it and the Langley side had a battle on their hands to take the point they needed to edge current second place, level on points with Bedford, but with vastly superior goal difference. Alex Campana was through after ten minutes but keeper Josh Mason, who was in superb form all night, timed his block well on the edge of the area and although the visitors played some serious one touch football to fashion a series of chances, the nearest they came was a Connor Toomey header well held. Kings’ problems increased when Callum Adebiyi took a knock and no further part in the game just before the break and as the second half wore on, it was apparent that a well drilled home defence that sometimes numbered six, would not be broken down easily. As such, Kings had far the better of midfield, but when first Lee Burgoyne and then Danny Hutchins delivered shots that were too hot for Mason to handle, nobody was on hand to follow up. The home side exerted some real pressure as the game progressed and Ant Ladyman had to be on top form to repel them. Sam Izzard made probably the tackle of the season when they did break through, emerging with the ball and delivering a telling pass, but when Campana was denied again by Mason in a one-on-one situation and Luke Ladyman put a chance over, Kings had to settle for the draw and focus on Saturday’s day of destiny.