Match Report

Both sides were in need of a tonic after draining midweek F A Cup replay exits and Kings applied the early pressure with Harry Tucker, back in for Max Ryan, unlucky to see his close range shot deflected to bounce down onto the line. However, it was Marine who took the lead in the twelfth minute when a straight clearance down the middle saw the visiting defence fail to deal with it properly, keeper Charlie Burns caught in two minds and Brad Gray lob the custodian for an opportunist’s strike. Kings hit back and their front three, showing signs of things to come, combined as Mitchell Weiss sent a through ball to Rene Howe, who held off a challenge to cross for Stevie Ward to slot home from close range. Burns was at full stretch to divert a shot soon after, while home keeper Kevin Sawyer made two smart saves from Weiss as Kings stepped up a gear. The pressure finally paid off as a Dean Hitchcock free kick saw Jorell Johnson and Sawyer rise together, neither claiming cleanly and Callum Adebiyi lash home the loose ball with virtually the last kick of the half. The second period continued with now Marine chasing the game and after Rene Howe had hit a post, they were thrown a lifeline when the referee awarded them a penalty on the hour, seemingly for a high kick toward a stooping head. The deja-vu incident, coupled to the perceived injustice was too much for manager Steve Conway, who was sent to the stands, while two Langley players received cautions. Brad Hooper finally dispatched the spot kick and fired just over minutes later as Kings faced a test of character, but to their credit they settled and began to again pose questions up front that the home defence couldn’t answer, seemingly unable to get the ball off Rene Howe. His pass sent Stevie Ward through to result in a penalty, coolly slotted home by the abused and he then demonstrated all his experience to take a magnificent first time pass from Weiss to round defender and keeper and put the game to bed. Conor McDonagh scored a consolation for Marine deep into time added on, but that did nothing to detract from Kings joy at finally taking three points home on the coach after so many near misses of late.