1st Team v Hertford Town

No. 51    Tuesday 7th April 2015.     Spartan South Midlands League – Premier Division
Hertford Town               3 (Campbell 9, 35, Louis Rose 65 pen)    
Kings Langley               1 (Cox 18)        
Hertford were the latest team to raise their game and attempt to take the scalp of the league leaders and on this occasion they were successful, ending Kings Langley’s 17 game unbeaten run in the process. They used Kings’ own successful tactic of intense pressure with pace and power from the start and it was not against the run of play when a run and cross from the right was volleyed home from close range by Kardan Campbell. Town threatened to over-run their visitors, with Sam Ruff firing just wide, but the champions elect dug in and the runs of Mitchell Weiss and Lewis Toomey began to make an impact. Their comeback put them on equal terms in the twentieth minute, when a sublime Weiss through ball gave Toomey the opportunity to shoot on the run, but Harry Ricketts pulled off a good save. Unfortunately for him, the parry fell to Ollie Cox, who lashed home the equaliser. The crisis seemed to have passed and both sides looked for the next goal, but it was Hertford who restored the advantage when a free kick from the home keeper caused consternation in the visiting box and although Charlie Crowley blocked an initial strike, he was stranded as Campbell blasted home his second. Kings resumed the second half with a period of pressure of their own and a superb angled 25 yard rocket by young Steve Ward hit the far post and travelled back across the face of goal before being scrambled away. However, that proved to be the turning point and after a penalty was awarded for a tackle on the edge of the box, Louis Rose gave Town a two goal buffer that an out of sorts Kings never looked like reducing. A reality check, but Kings still hold all the cards and will look to put this behind them and take the penultimate step with a win on Saturday at Biggleswade.