No. 25 Tuesday 25th November 2014. SSML – Challenge Trophy – Round 2
Berkhamsted 1 (Chamberlain 18)
Kings Langley 3 (Johnson 37, Campana 75, Bateman 89)
Following their draining Vase encounter on Saturday, Kings made six changes, including the return of popular custodian Ant Ladyman and the introduction of new signing Kevin Ayodele, back with the club after a short spell two years ago. Played in typically rain sodden November conditions, it was Berkhamsted who gained the early advantage when a raking right wing cross saw Kings’ central defensive pairing both occupied with B J Christie, while the ball eluded all three and Josh Chamberlain was free beyond to give Ant Ladyman no chance. Any thoughts of a Vase hangover were dispelled however, as Kings fought back to equalise before the break when a Dean Hitchcock shot from a corner was blocked on the line and Jack Johnson lashed a savage shot through the well-populated box for a carbon copy of his cruelly disallowed goal against Stotfold a week earlier. Christie had a good chance soon after, as did Tom Carter and Luke Ladyman in the first ten minutes of the second half, but the deadlock continued, with Kings, well marshalled by Jack Pattison and Luke Ladyman, probably ahead on points. With fifteen minutes to go, a needless foul conceded just outside the corner of the box was the cue for Alex Campana to shape up and flight a free kick of stunning accuracy over the two man wall and out of the reach of the despairing Ben Barnes. The spectre of extra time banished, Kings relaxed and rarely looked in danger of being pegged back and when another free kick from virtually the same spot was conceded, Kings varied the tune for Dean Hitchcock to play a short forward pass to Campana and his low cross eluded all but the incoming Matt Bateman on the far post. The young striker, a former Under 18 marksman and currently leading scorer in the reserves, picked his spot and fired the ball home to finish the night and set up a third round tie against Hertford or London Lions.