PIPPED AT THE POST IN PROMOTION CHASE

Paul Hobbs second season in charge was a solid one, with Kings challenging for the two promotion spots until the very end. Phoenix club Berkhamsted set the pace all through the season, with their only defeat being a stunning 5-0 rout at the hands of Kings Langley at Gaywood Park in early November. The remaining promotion slot was a hotly contested three way chase between AFC Dunstable, Kings and Crawley Green, with the former cementing their place at the Premier top table after winning the vital clash with Langley as the season drew to a close.

The F A Vase was entered for the first time in the Club’s history and saw Kings travel to Essex Senior League side Basildon United, where they were a little unlucky to exit 5-3 after leading twice. Progress in the remaining Cups was limited, to say the least.

The departures of Craig Preston, Gary Roberts and retirement of Matt Clements was offset by the signing of Steve Noonan and the development of playmaker Sam Warrell and versatile Joe Godwin, while Craig McMahon formed an effective strike partnership with Lewis Toomey until his season was curtailed by injuries. Lee Waryszniuk captained the side for the first quarter and Club stalwart Phil Morgan for the remainder of the season.

AUGUST
After some good pre-season friendly results against tough opposition, the first competitive match was a disappointment. Two nil down at home to a much improved Cranfield United on the hour, Kings rallied and pulled one back through Dan Tomkins and Sam Warrell rescued a point two minutes from the end as Kings fitness showed.

Three days later, visiting Ampthill Town took an early lead on a day where conditions were slippery after continuous rain, but the guile of Sam Warrell and the strength of Craig McMahon combined to give Kings an interval lead. Another quickfire start by the visitors netted an equaliser, but Lewis Toomey’s pace and a Sam Warrell free kick provided a buffer before United closed the gap again. However, Craig McMahon had the last word with a header ensuring the 5-3 victory.

After the early goal fest, the first match on the road produced a somewhat unexpected goal-less draw at newly promoted London Lions, but was a valuable away point on reflection. In contrast, a summer evening at Welwyn Garden City turned with a downpour of tropical proportions just before kick-off that washed away Kings’ aspirations. Two down in ten minutes, hope surfaced when Sam Warrell pulled one back, but two second half goals by City rightly condemned a below par Kings to defeat.

The response was positive as visiting Bedford Town Reserves were beaten with early goals from the strike force of Craig McMahon and Lewis Toomey. McMahon struck from close range after only three minutes and Toomey turned in a Dan Tomkins cross soon after, but Town came back strongly in the second half, with a Phil Morgan clearance on the line preventing a certain goal. The visitors’ consolation two minutes from time was harsh on Simon Ryder and his defence, who turned in a performance of character.

The midweek encounter saw a hard earned, but ultimately comfortable win over a stubborn New Bradwell St. Peter as Kings built on an early Sam Warrell free kick and, after an equaliser, add further goals with a Lee Waryszniuk penalty and the killer blow from Lewis Toomey from a quickly taken throw in.

The rhythm was disrupted somewhat when the visit to Sport London e Benfica at Haringey Borough’s ground produced extraordinary scenes of ill-discipline from the hosts and resulted in the abandonment of the match with 78 minutes played. Kings had sailed into a 3-0 lead in 25 minutes through debutant Ashley Harewood, Craig McMahon and Jack Johnson, before SLB fought back with goals either side of the break. The predatory Lewis Toomey restored Kings rule on the hour, sparking the dismissal of the protesting Rui Martins, who refused to leave the field. When he was finally persuaded to do so, a toxic atmosphere boiled over with a further home player dismissed for an attempted assault and Warren Whetton also sent off for attempting to restrain him. Not surprisingly, the match was abandoned. Kings were to be awarded the points nearly two months later as bureaucracy took its time, only to lose them when Benfica withdrew from the League soon after. Few mourned their passing!

All of which was hardly good preparation for the encounter three days later with promotion rivals Crawley Green, but could not be used as an excuse as Green tore into a 3-0 interval lead. Craig McMahon pulled one back and then hit the bar, but it was not enough to prevent a first home defeat on a day that Kings were simply second best.

SEPTEMBER
The debut in the F A Vase generated great interest and a coach trip to Basildon United in Essex. After twice leading, through Lewis Toomey and a Lee Waryszniuk penalty and being pegged back twice from set piece corners, the match turned on a dubious penalty award that put the home team ahead for the first time on the cusp of half time. Another header extended United’s lead, Toomey reduced the deficit, but courageous Kings afternoon was summed up with a clearly offside goal in the final minutes.

The disappointment was used to positive effect with the midweek visit to Sun Sports producing the best performance to date as second placed Sun were eclipsed 5-1. Dan Tomkins side footed home the opener, but former King Ben Poulter equalised on twenty minutes with a shot on the turn. Two goals in a minute put Langley in control at the break as Sam Warrell finished off a neat one-two and then a Dan Tomkins run and power shot made it three. The job was finished in the second half as Lewis Toomey notched his seventh of the season so far and younger brother Jordan scored his first for the club.

The fixtures dictated that third placed Bedford was the next venue and the form continued, although Kings were made to work hard for the last minute win. Bedford scored after two minutes, defender Steve Noonan forced home his first for the club to equalise and Lewis Toomey had his penalty saved after he was brought down by keeper Freddie Hester. Toomey was to atone ten minutes later as he lobbed his adversary and side-footed home and the action continued as Bedford equalised from the spot. Paul Hobbs sent on new signing Stepjak and the Czech striker obliged, sidefooting home Toomey’s cross in time added on.

The Challenge Trophy (League Cup) produced an amazing match that saw Kings 4-1 down and seemingly out at home to Premier side Holmer Green, before pulling back to 4-4, going behind again two minutes from the end and equalising once again in the last minute. They actually took the lead in extra time, but couldn’t hold it, eventually gallantly bowing out 6-7 at the end of a saga that gave the crowd real value for money. Dan Tomkins (2), Lewis Toomey (2), Jack Johnson and Sam Warrell were the scorers.

Back on League duty, a good sized crowd saw Dan Tomkins cancel out an early London Colney lead, but another match altering penalty condemned Langley to a second successive League home defeat. Stony Stratford Town were dispatched in the Division 1 Cup first round with Former Kings Langley Youth player Joe Gallagher and Lewis Toomey both scoring hat tricks in an emphatic 8-1 victory. Steve Noonan and Milan Stepjak were the other scorers.

This was followed up by a 4-0 defeat of Wodson Park, Lewis Toomey again on target twice and providing assists for the other two by Dan Tomkins and Nathan Pooley. September finished with Kings going to second placed Harpenden Town, going a goal down, but turning in a gritty second half display to take the points. Two goals in as many minutes turned the game upside down as Sam Warrell and Dan Tomkins put Kings ahead, but the match was finely balanced to the last, when a Lee Waryszniuk header from a corner put Kings up to fourth. .

OCTOBER
Kings made a record breaking start at Cranfield, scoring four goals in the first eight minutes, with Lewis Toomey and Craig McMahon each bagging a brace. Cranfield did try to echo the feat with two goals in the first four minutes of the second half, but there was no stopping a fourth consecutive away victory when Jack Johnson added a fifth.

Next venue on the away tour was Hoddesdon Town, where despite being a goal down inside two minutes, Kings came back to win 3-2, with goals from Lewis Toomey and Craig McMahon, the latter getting his second and the winner in injury time. That result lifted Kings to the heady heights of second after steady progress up the table. .

This was followed by the visit to Cockfosters and in a dour physical match, the deadlock was broken on the hour by a fine individual goal from Lewis Toomey. A rare goal by Ian Felgate eight minutes later sealed the sixth consecutive away win, but the price paid was a heavy one as injuries sustained by Sam Warrell and Lee Waryszniuk would rule them out of the next six and three games respectively.

The exhausting schedule of two games a week for the first ten weeks of the season came to an end at Buckingham Athletic with the fifth consecutive away game, but it was a bridge too far for a below strength Kings, who were outplayed by the lower side and were lucky to be level at the interval thanks to a free-kick equaliser from Nathan Pooley. Although the visitors found their form in the second half, Buckingham were not to be denied and struck a winner four minutes from time that few neutrals would have begrudged them.

The hangover was still apparent at home to Amersham Town, but Kings were boosted by the return from Leverstock Green of former favourite Simon Conway and his two goals secured an edgy 2-1 win to keep a grip on second place in the table. Sitting at the wrong end of the table, Amersham had threatened to pull off the shock result of the day, going ahead after 20 minutes and hanging on to the lead until 20 minutes from the end.

The following Saturday, hapless Stony Stratford Town were on the end of a second Lewis Toomey hat trick against them in a month as they were steamrollered again, this time 7-0. Simon Conway matched it with a trio of headers to make it five goals in two games and Nathan Pooley got the other.

An exceptionable month was to end on a low note as bogey side AFC Dunstable, leading the chasing pack, came to Gaywood Park and ground out a win in an all-round uninspiring match. With Conway unavailable and McMahon off injured after 18 minutes,
the ODs grabbed a tenth minute goal and held onto that lead until the last minute when insult was added to injury as they broke to score as Kings threw everything forward.

NOVEMBER
Kings took on unbeaten leaders Berkhamsted in front of a bumper crowd of 130 and not only shattered their record, but comprehensively played them off the park. Lewis Toomey opened the scoring when the keeper marginally beat him to a 50-50 through pass, only to see the ball rebound skywards to fall back into the path of the ongoing striker, who calmly lobbed it into the undefended net. A similar instinctive through ball 15 minutes later found Kings’ ace striker who, under pressure from two defenders and the keeper, again produced a precision lob to take the home side into a potential match winning lead. As the interval beckoned, Nathan Pooley’s left wing corner fell to the head of Dan Tomkins to score despite the visitor’s desperate attempts to clear off the line. The second half saw much of the same, with Nathan Pooley surging out of defence on the left wing and finishing with an unstoppable 30 yard shot and the rout was completed when Jack Johnson’s perfectly flighted inswinging corner glanced in off the head of a defender. The win took Langley to the top of the table, albeit with the visitors having five games in hand!

The impetus was maintained on a frosty night at Wodson Park with a hard fought 3-1 victory as Lewis Toomey, Dan Tomkins and Milan Stepjak strikes, added to a Simon Ryder penalty save, were enough to take the points. The same combination was on hand again to register a goal apiece for Stepjak and Toomey, both from Tomkins’ crosses, as Kings upped their game in the second half of a rugged encounter at New Bradwell St Peter.

The second round of the League Cup brought Kings back to earth with a bump, as Sun Postal Sports, previously beaten 5-1 in their own backyard in the League, dumped Kings out by the same scoreline at Gaywood Park. The home side had gone ahead with Milan Stepjak’s third in three games, but they were never at the races in the second half.

The following match against St Albans City Reserves was postponed after the midweek battering the pitch had received, but ironically, was one of only a handful to go ahead the next weekend, despite overnight frost and the first dusting of snow. The opponents were Lemsford in the County Cup and the conditions seemed to suit Jack Johnson, who scored within an astonishing thirteen seconds of the kick off and went on to complete a hat trick as the visitors were brushed aside. Craig McMahon, Joe Godwin and Sam Warrell completed a 6-1 score line.

DECEMBER
Ice bound pitches caused mass postponements for the first weekend in December and Kings were unfortunately without a scheduled fixture for the next weekend. The last programme before Christmas was wiped out by a blizzard and so the year ended with Kings still sitting proudly at the top of the pile.

JANUARY
After five weeks of inactivity due to the weather, Kings withstood some early pressure from a spirited Stony Stratford Town side to register a fine 4-1 away win. Seventeen year old Youth product Connor Calcutt, making his debut in place of Lewis Toomey, was instrumental in the opener, rifled in by Nathan Pooley, before being on hand to add the second on the stroke of half time. In between, the home side had headed in a leveller, but they faded as Kings added further goals by Lee Waryszniuk and Sam Warrell in the second period.

The home League match against Hoddesdon Town went ahead on a heavy pitch, Kings going in front just before the break through Dan Tomkins, but conceding a sucker punch equaliser almost immediately. Hoddesdon then came more into the game and went ahead on the hour and although Steve Noonan rescued a point with an unstoppable volley, it was not enough to keep Kings top of the table, edged into second spot by Berkhamsted after a two month tenure.

The following week saw an exit from the Herts Centenary Trophy at London Lions, when the home side made the game safe with two in the dying minutes to give a flattering 4-1 scoreline to a fairly even match. Kings had looked likely to take the game into extra time, but the late loss of defenders Brett Kelly and Lee Waryszniuk to injury left them vulnerable. Lewis Toomey was back on the goal trail with a first half equaliser.

As the month closed, Kings were back on League duty and beat a resurgent Cockfosters side at Gaywood Park by five goals to one in a match that was far closer than the scoreline suggests. Dan Tomkins, Lewis Toomey, Lee Waryszniuk, Jack Johnson and Jonny Watson were all on target as Kings were simply unstoppable in the second half.

FEBRUARY
The weather again played its part in disrupting the programme during the month, but Kings kept up their promotion challenge with a trio of wins. It began with a testing match at fifth placed Bedford Town Reserves, where Jack Johnson put the visitors ahead and Lewis Toomey added a late decider to break a previously barren run on this ground.

Next was a midweek visit to St. Albans City Reserves and ace striker Toomey pounced five minutes from the end to take the points in a tight match for his 30th goal of the season. It was just reward for a resolute team performance of character.

Back at Gaywood Park under lights, a poor first half performance saw London Lions take the lead, but Sam Warrell equalize against the run of play just before half time. Paul Hobbs interval talk had the desired effect, as a different team emerged in the second half and goals by Simon Conway and Dan Tomkins simply swept the opposition away.

MARCH
Revenge was gained for October’s reversal at Buckingham Athletic with a workmanlike 3-0 victory at Gaywood Park. Sam Warrell opened the scoring with a penalty after Jack Johnson was brought down and Lewis Toomey finished a fine passing movement for the second. Craig McMahon headed a late third from a cross by the irrepressible Sam Warrell.

Three days later Harpenden Town were dispatched in a similar manner, with Lewis Toomey scoring twice (the first after just 78 seconds) and Jack Johnson notching his tenth of the season. All the goals came in the first hour, as the visitors pulled one back with a well taken free kick. Simon Ryder was forced off through injury after half an hour, but Ant Ladyman was on the bench and looked more than comfortable in his place, while brother Luke made an impressive debut at the heart of the defence.

The run of ten League wins and a draw came to an end at Berkhamsted when the home side gained revenge for their 5-0 defeat at Gaywood Park, with a 5-1 scoreline of their own. Kings had overcome an early set-back for Sam Warrell to equalise with a spectacular volley, but faded in the second half on a disappointing day. A goal down at the break, Paul Hobbs gambled on substituting a defender for a striker, but the game turned on a 50/50 race for the ball between Ant Ladyman and Chris Colman which the referee deemed a penalty, after which the Comrades cruised home.

There was a return to winning ways with a victory at struggling Amersham Town, courtesy of an early brace from Lewis Toomey and a controversial late goal by Nathan Pooley. Controversial, in as much as the referee adjudged the ball to have hit the stanchion inside the goal, rather than the post, before bouncing back out! However, the edge was taken off the win by an injury to Lee Waryszniuk that would see him miss the remainder of the season.

A bruising encounter at home to Sun Postal Sports saw Kings emerge victorious from the local derby, but the penalty dispatched by Sam Warrell was to be his last contribution to the season as he joined Waryszniuk, Craig McMahon and Dan Tomkins on the injury list. Of the four, only Dan Tomkins would recover to play the last three games of the season and the fates had delivered a telling blow to promotion aspirations. Nathan Pooley sealed the win ten minutes from time in an ill-tempered clash, with Sun’s Stacy Dunn dismissed in the first half.

With Dunstable and Crawley Green both winning by a single goal, Kings did their goal difference a power of good by demolishing Ampthill Town 7-0 on their own turf. Lewis Toomey led the scoring with a hat trick and there were goals by Tom Carter and defenders Gary Wallace (2) and Luke Ladyman. That made it a nine point return with twelve goals scored and none against in a hectic five day schedule, but crunch matches with chasers Crawley Green and AFC Dunstable were to come and would define the season.

The trip to Crawley Green was a clash neither side could afford to lose and although without Noonan, Waryszniuk, Johnson, Warrell, Corcoran and Tomkins, Kings took the game to Crawley and dominated the first fifteen. Then the ill luck and injuries that were beginning to be regular visitors struck again as Lewis Toomey received four minutes of stoppage time attention for a damaged shoulder, but hit a stunning opener with his first touch on resumption. He immediately succumbed to a further lay-off and though he continued, it was not to maximum effect. Green sensed a reprieve and just as Kings had dominated the first half, so the home side dominated the second, but Kings still led with six minutes to go. Then an unmarked Stuart Strange headed an equaliser and a freak lofted cross into the net in the third minute of stoppage time finally broke Kings’ hearts.

APRIL
Respite was gained in a thoroughly entertaining 7-3 win over Bedford, Kings notching their hundredth League goal of the season and Lewis Toomey his fortieth in all competitions. Gary Connolly had been signed from Leverstock Green and made the first and scored the second, while there was a brace each for Lewis Toomey and Nathan Pooley, with Gary Wallace and Tom Carter registering the other two.

By the time the second crunch match at AFC Dunstable arrived, injury ravaged Kings looked an understandably tired side and allowed themselves to be drawn into a niggling, ill-tempered encounter. Two goals for the home side just before the break effectively settled it and although Toomey made something out of nothing to give Kings hope, Dunstable restored the buffer and ensured the promotion odds swung their way as they leapfrogged their rivals to go second.

A hangover seemed to have ensued at home to St Albans City Reserves, with Kings 2-0 down at half time. But Nathan Pooley inspired a second half comeback with crosses that saw goals from big-hearted defender Luke Ladyman and the returning Dan Tomkins. The visitor’s lead was restored almost immediately, but Kings had the bit between their teeth and Joe Gallagher took advantage of keeper hesitancy to level and Pooley and Ladyman reprised the first to win the points five minutes from time.

In the last home game, against Welwyn Garden City, Pooley continued to demonstrate his mastery of the dead ball situation, with two goals from free kicks and a penalty for his first hat trick, as a stubborn City side were beaten by three goals to two. On the same night, champions elect Berkhamsted beat AFC Dunstable to keep alive the mathematical possibility that Kings could still achieve promotion.

However, by the time Kings travelled to London Colney for their last fixture eleven days later, Dunstable had made sure of second spot and promotion, leaving Langley condemned to third place. With little atmosphere and a bone hard pitch, Kings made the early running but fell behind on the half hour. Lewis Toomey executed his now familiar lobbed goal to equalise, but the season was summed up when Kings hit the woodwork no less than four times and lost to a late winner!

So a superb season ended in disappointment, but Kings came so painfully close to glory in a highly competitive division, where the top four just kept on winning in the second half of the season. Having entered the New Year in second place, it wasn’t until April that the relentless pursuit by AFC Dunstable and Crawley Green (almost) caught up and that was a result of crunch meetings against both of them, where six first teamers had become part of an extensive injury list. Without that ill fortune, who knows what might have been.

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