Kings climb out of dropzone

Two matches in three days for Kings Langley over the Easter break saw the ups and downs that have characterised their season.
Kings Langley players celebrate after Ryan Plowright's opening goalKings Langley players celebrate after Ryan Plowright's opening goal
Kings Langley players celebrate after Ryan Plowright's opening goal

A scoreless draw at Redditch on Saturday (see bottom left) saw Kings drop into the bottom four for the first time this season but they rebounded mightily on Easter Monday with a huge 2-0 win at Hayes & Yeading United to move out of the drop-zone on goal difference with a game remaining.

Ryan Ploywright and Jerry Amoo scored the goals to bring Langley closer to Southern League Premier Division survival.

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The crunch game to decide it all is at home this Saturday against Cirencester Town, who are also down the bottom in the survival race.

Monday’s match was played at Uxbridge’s ground due to United’s continuing ground problems and was a must-win for both clubs.

Paul Hobbs switched to a 4-1-4-1 formation to give width, with Mayo Balogun and Jack Pattison returning to the back-four and Amoo going wide left.

United had five ex-Kings in the line-up and the tension was palpable before a large crowd.

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The hosts made the better start and there was an early chance for Mitchell Weiss but the striker fired over.

Another former favourite, David Hutton, shot wide before Kings created their first chance when a Plowright 20- yarder was parried. Lewis Toomey netted the rebound but was flagged offside.

Kings’ confidence was visible as Amoo, backed by Balogun, was giving Karl Stevenson an afternoon to forget with pace, trickery and crosses that unsettled United.

The decision to retain Toomey, struggling for form, was vindicated as the lone striker turned in his best performance for a while.

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As the interval approached, a Tom Broadbent free kick was well held by Kings keeper Xavi Comas, before the visitors were awarded a free kick, central and ten yards in the half.

Lee Stobbs skied it high into the box, where Amoo climbed at the far post with Danny Boness. The keeper was unable to hold it and Plowright stabbed the loose ball home to gives Kings the vital interval lead.

The hosts came back out in a determined mood, forcing a good Comas save, but it was to be the pre-cursor to Kings delivering the killer blow.

Toomey banked on his pace to deliver a sublime flicked through ball that the 19-year- old Amoss latched onto, got the right side of his challenger and slid the ball past the advancing keeper with poise beyond his years.

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The travelling fans produced a cacophony of sound that threatened to raise the roof on the other stand.

Kings were in control as United struggled to find any road back against the central pairing of Jorell Johnson and Sam Tring.

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