No. 31 Tuesday 18th February 2014. Spartan South Midlands League – Division 1
Winslow United 0
Kings Langley 2 (Johnson 75, Hutchins 88)
After four weeks of enforced inaction, Kings were understandably rusty and United’s long ball tactics were more suited to a predictably heavy pitch. The meanest defence in the division had to be at its best against the strike pairing of Seanla and Shrieves and Ant Ladyman pulled a superb reflex save from the former in the tenth minute and again a minute later when Seanla was booked for unsporting behaviour. Having to forsake their usual interpassing game, Kings were over-hitting the long passes, but were beginning to create their own opportunities when Ash Farmer was shown a straight red for kicking a prone Lee Burgoyne on the half hour. The visitors immediately turned the screw, a superb strike by Dean Hitchcock being met by an equally brilliant Ben Grasso tip over. The keeper knew little about a Paul Insley point blank flick that cannoned off him, but as the second half ground on to the background of constant verbal complaints from the home team and its management, Kings pressure floundered on a solid defence or its own use of the final ball. Then, with a mere 15 minutes to go, the deadlock was broken. Jack Johnson found himself on the bench after traffic delayed his arrival and had been introduced eighteen minutes earlier as part of the front three. An Alex Campana precision cross was blocked by Grasso at the feet of Adam Hallissey, the ball ran free and Johnson jubilantly lashed it into the net from the area of the penalty spot. Kings then turned up the possession rate and when another Johnson run across the box was ended with a crude tackle, Danny Hutchins, making a welcome return from Dunstable Town, latched onto the ball to unleash a 25 yard guided missile into the top far corner of the net. Overall, a cool display from Kings, who kept their heads when others lost theirs, and reaped the benefits.