1st Team v Northwood

CUP JOY FOR KINGS
Tuesday 11th September 2018.     F A Cup – 1st Qualifying Round (Replay)
Kings Langley        3  (Weiss 5,26, Ryan 22)          Northwood        1  (de Lopes Matos 49)        
Kings Langley advanced to the second qualifying round of the F A Cup with a powerful performance that ended their recent goal scoring drought and avenged a reversal by the same opponents in the completion four years previously. Constant rain began two hours before kick-off and certainly affected attendance, but did little to dampen Kings’ determination to attack from the start and they made the all-important breakthrough with five minutes on the clock. A left wing run by Callum Adebiyi was halted by a clumsy challenge and  the resultant free kick into the box by Dean Hitchcock saw a glancing header by Mitchell Weiss arrow into the right hand corner of the net, much to the delight of the young home fans behind the goal. Northwood’s response was immediate with Martin Bennett tipping a raking cross-come-shot over the bar and Sam Jenkins firing high, but the home side were making light of the conditions and doubled their advantage mid half when another questioning Hitchcock cross, this time from a corner, fell to Rene Howe whose powerful shot was blocked almost on the line and Max Ryan scythed through the defence to convert from close range. Wood were still reeling from that blow when Rene Howe, who along with the equally experienced Elliott Godfrey and young Josh Coldicott-Stevens seemed to be involved in everything, sent Lee Stobbs on his way down the right wing. His cross had plenty of height and first appeared over-hit, but in fact it was perfectly placed to find the head of Mitchell Weiss and his looping but powerful header was embraced by the same part of the net as before. Wood avoided further damage until half time, but the talk must have been a good one as they’d reduced the deficit within four minutes, Miguel de Lopes Matos cutting inside from the left to register a good individual goal. As in the first leg, they found the woodwork again, Matt Cooper was just wide with a shot and their scorer came close to repeating the goal, but their hopes were effectively dampened and finally extinguished by an impressive all round team performance from Kings, particularly the back four, with Max Ryan already looking an integral part alongside Jorell Johnson, Gary Connolly and Callum Adebiyi.  Mitchell Weiss came close to a hat-trick with another header and was denied by a brave save from Luke Sheldrick, while sub Edu demonstrated a spectacular turn and shot that was well held by the keeper. For Kings though, this was a vital result to dispel previous set-backs and install belief that better times lie ahead.   RM