By Roy Mitchard

With Kyle Lincoln unavailable for family reasons, Kings were forced into a tactical change to their line up as they travelled to neighbours Chesham United for the Bank Holiday Monday fixture.

James Gurteen came in for his full debut in a back three alongside Jorell Johnson and Kyle Connolly with Roddy Collins and Jack Wood as wing
backs. Charlie Miller and Tec Shrowder formed the central midfield pairing and Leo Farruch, Arel Amu and Yasin Arai were the front three. It was a set up that showed vast improvement from the off, with Kings looking particularly dangerous down the right, where Roddy Collins and Leo Farruch were giving Chesham a torrid time.

There was further evidence that the new players were beginning to gel with the old as Jack Wood’s cross on the left gave Yasin Arai and Charlie Miller opportunities to test Agboola in the home goal, while an Arai through ball saw Amu’s finish well held. United were having their moments too and Alfie Marriott had to be alert to save an Eoin Casey power shot as the game flowed at an absorbing pace.

Then, as the clock passed the half hour mark, came the moment the away fans had waited over six hours for, as Roddy Collins swung over another cross and Leo Farruch met it sweetly, only to see Agboola pull off a good blocking save. However, he could do nothing to prevent Arel Amu, following up, side-foot the ball home from close range to end the drought.

It was a deserved lead and stung Chesham into action as Troy Perez-Duah unleashed a rocket to the top corner that Alfie Marriott dealt confidently with, making a difficult save look easy. The half closed with Leo Farruch demonstrating some superb footwork, then mimicked by Yasin Arai as they carved through a back-pedalling defence to shoot just wide.

Chesham too were suffering injury problems, with several less than fit first teamers on their bench and they gambled for the second half, sending on marksman Zak Joseph, who made an instant impact. It took a flying save from Marriott after just two minutes to deny him, but four minutes later he gave the keeper no chance with a twenty yard shot of pace and power into the top corner. From then on, the game continued at the same flowing pace, but chances became fewer as if, subconsciously, both sides were wary of losing what they’d gained. Kings passed the 60 to 70 minute mark that has previously dashed their hopes and turned on some of their best interpassing football as the game neared its close, with substitute Eli Hearn firing over one of the better chances.

So honours were even at the final whistle and it was probably a fair result on reflection, but for Kings, it felt as if a cloud had been partially lifted.