Kings’ battle for step 3 survival suffered another setback on their first ever visit to Yate’s picturesque Lodge Road Stadium as despite a spirited performance, they failed to reap any reward.

The home side were quick out of the blocks and should have been ahead within ninety seconds when an unmarked Ricardo Rees should have converted from six yards out, only to be foiled by Sam Dreyer’s timely goal line intervention. Alas. the reprieve was relatively short lived, as on 16 minutes Jamie Adams surged forward to unleash a ferocious 25 yarder into the top corner, despite Alfie Marriott’s desperate attempt to repel the intrusion. Far from deflating Kings, their riposte was almost immediate as just two minutes later Alfie Williams prised possession from a dithering defender and fired low into the corner to restore instant parity.

The score galvanised Kings into a period of attacking fluency with both Ben De Lacy-Turner and Alie Bangura stretching the home defence on opposite flanks. All too often though, Kings perennial problem of a poor final delivery thwarted some promising opportunities. The game remained ‘nip and tuck’ for the rest of the half as both teams battled to gain ascendancy but neither could gain the vital breakthrough and honours remained even at the break.

It had always seemed likely that something special was needed to break the deadlock and so it transpired, as from a half-cleared corner Will Tunnicliff fired a ‘Worldie’ of a shot into the top corner to restore the home team’s advantage. Despite persistent pressure, the home defence remained stubbornly resilient with the towering figure of Matt Bower conspicuous in his aerial dominance. In fact it was Bower who effectively put the game to bed as he guided home an unstoppable header from Tunnicliff’s free kick. Kings battled to the end, but the home side were in no mood to relinquish their two goal cushion, as they looked to rekindle their faint play off
aspirations.

For Kings, all attention turns to Easter Monday’s home game against Hendon - a must win game if there is to be any hope of salvation via the unequivocal algorithm of ‘Points Per Game’. It is the only remaining path to redemption.