BACK TO EARTH

The relentless pressure of two games a week and the roller coaster of the last ten days finally told on Kings as they fell to a team who look more than capable of going one better than last season’s play-offs. With the absence of Mitchell Weiss and returning loanee Stevie Ward, Kings were forced to shuffle the pack and the first half was a somewhat dour affair as both sides sounded each other out and consequentially produced few chances. A header over by visiting Chay Tilt was the exception and on the 25 minute mark, Harry Crawford had the ball in the net with a forceful header only to see the assistant’s flag raised for offside. Then the game sprang into life with a mere five minutes of the half remaining as Tom Tonks raced into the area, cut across the accompanying Kyle Connolly and fell to ground. It was difficult to see how Connolly could have avoided the clash of feet, but the referee judged otherwise and Turton dispatched the penalty. Atonement was waiting in the wings however, as almost immediately Langley launched a flowing move that saw a Harry Crawford diagonal pass headed back across the goal by Charlie Pattison and a jubilant Connolly sweep the ball home from close range. But the drama wasn’t over yet, as Kings were then undone by a Tom Tonks long throw that was headed back across the area and Jordan Williams volleyed home from five yards. Kings started well on resumption with Gary Connolly setting Charlie Pattison away on the right and Charlie Price being relieved to parry his shot on the run. They remained in the game for the next 25 minutes, without fashioning many chances, but to be fair the visitors were hardly prolific either. Then a touch of good fortune put the Glassboys in control as the lively Chay Tilt cut inside from a surging left wing run and elected to shoot. The ball cannoned of a defensive block and fell perfectly back to him, but the shot from the edge of the box was superb and gave Melvin Minter no chance. When substitute Andre Landrell felled Kane Farrell with a clumsy challenge and went on to add a fourth despite Kings’ protestations, a somewhat harsh scoreline was completed before a late flurry saw a Josh Coldicott-Stevens shot deflected just past the post and a Callum Adebiyi header over, but no concolation.