Jordan Parkes was the Kings Langley hero with two stunning goals, the second of which rescued a point for Kings in time added on in the battle of the village sides. The former Hemel Hempstead Town skipper had signed for Langley as player coach during the week and made an immediate impact, giving the home side the lead as early as the sixth minute. Josh Coldicott-Stevens picked up the ball in midfield and exchanged a double one-two with Parkes, who unleashed a superb curling shot into the top corner of the net from just outside the box. His characteristic shoot on sight policy was demonstrated again soon after, merely a foot over the bar and echoed by Mitchell Weiss, whose shot was well held by Marcus Garnham. Kings’ patterns of play for the first half hour were impressive, as they looked to extend their lead, a series of inch perfect diagonal cross field passes particularly catching the eye, but the Marketmen held firm in defence and gradually worked their way back into contention with a hard running, pressing display that was eventually rewarded with the equaliser on the cusp of half time. Joseph Marsden crossed from the right, an unmarked Craig Parker lurked on the far post and an outstretched defensive foot only succeeded in diverting it to him, whereupon he netted from close range. Kings began the second half eager to regain the initiative and a good cross from the right by Alex Anderson resulted in a powerful Mitchell Weiss header superbly saved by Garnham. Minutes later, Weiss intercepted a wayward pass, turned and fired a low shot that produced another quality save, a tip round the post that must have been seen very late. However, fast forward another few minutes and the pendulum had completed its swing, as the visitors took the lead with a persistent attack following a midfield loss of possession that ended when Melvin Minter’s good save fell kindly for the incoming Luke Ingram, who forced the ball home. Langley looked stunned, devoid of their early swagger and Minter performed an acrobatic save to deny Needham further reward as the home side searched for inspiration. When it arrived, it came late – in the first of four minutes of added time, but from a source that was expected if you were ever a Roy of the Rovers fan! Jordan Parkes received the ball from a throw in on the left, teased an opponent with a couple of changes of feet and unleashed a low shot from fully 25 yards that arrowed like the pre-ordained path of an Exocet missile through a crowded box and into the far corner of the net before Marcus Garnham had moved. It wasn’t the result Kings had hoped for, but it was a valuable and hard earned point and probably a fair one on the day.

By Roy Mitchard