Match Report: Waltham Abbey 2-4 Kings Langley

The first ever meeting between these two teams produced a roller coaster of a ride on a night of high octane football, controversy and unexpected twists in the tail as Kings ultimately triumphed to take the points in a thriller.
Jordan Parkes made three changes, bringing on Michael Gabblah, Louie Collier and Rayan Clarke, with Will Bishop, Lorenzo Johnson and Cheyce rested on the bench. The third minute gave a portent of what was to come as Olu Ogunnowo hit the post, but Kings were also fast out of the blocks and just as three days previously, took the lead in the fifth minute. A Sam Murphy free kick was swung into the box to be met by a powerful Jorell Johnson header and for the next fifteen minutes Kings dominated with crisp incisive passing with keeper Brad Robinson denying Loie Collier with a fine save from the wide man’s enterprising lob. But the sheer pace of Abbey’s wingers and a perceived lack of defensive press in the face of such, saw home centre forward Sam Shaban drill home the equaliser on the half hour.
The Abbots seized the initiative with a blistering opening to the second half, Ben Baker being guilty of a terrible miss, before he dis-possessed Kyran Henderson to send in a ground hugging cross, gratefully accepted by Shaban to edge the hosts in front. For the next fifteen minutes they were rampant, Juliusz Pazio making a superb stop, with the loose ball blasted over, but Kings regained their attacking composure, constantly prompted by Rene Howe and Sonny French miscued a great chance, the effort cleared off the line. With the spectators struggling to keep up with the pace of the game, Abbey found the net, only to have it disallowed for offside and the play switched to the other end, where Sam Murphy played in Sonny French to atone with a well struck shot across the keeper into the far corner of the goal. Switch back to the other end and the home side had two net-finders ruled out in quick succession, one for offside and one for out of play, before Kings collected three bookings in four minutes for mistimed tackles as the frantic pace continued. But the drama was to continue as, with five minutes to go, a Pazio clearance was nodded down by Howe to Murphy and his wing pass was crossed by Cheyce Grant for fellow substitute Lorenzo Johnson to steer home at the far post. Abbey’s frustration, perhaps understandably, boiled over and home skipper Nathan Twin-Koranteng was red carded, but a ruthless Kings had the final word in an extraordinary match when another Rene Howe nod-on saw Lorenzo Johnson cross for a centrally placed and unmarked Cheyce Grant to emphatically secure victory.
It will give manager Jordan Parkes plenty to think about after his first win and Kings certainly rode their luck at times, but the sign of a good team is to dig deep and win when the odds seem stacked against you. Just ask The Lionesses!

Roy Mitchard