Late penalty rescues a point

Kings were playing for the first time in 14 days after a weekend off the previous Saturday.

The point leaves them in a healthy ninth place in the Southern League Premier Division table and they are now unbeaten in their past four, while nine wins have arrived in their past 13 outings.

Just as this match was looking like a missed opportunity for Kings, hosts Weymouth conceded a penalty four minutes into added time which was confidently dispatched by on-loan debutant Andronicos Georgiou to rescue a thoroughly deserved point.

The visitors started much the brighter of the two sides and an early interchange between Stevie Ward and Mitchell Weiss saw Kings’ leading marksman steer the ball just wide.

The fourth-placed hosts, who have risen as high as second this term, responded with an enterprising run from Cameron Murray, but his snap-shot was safely fielded by Kings keeper Alex Tokarczyk, but Langley generally dominated proceedings and their regular forays finally paid dividends in the 35th minute when Weiss’ pinpoint cross saw Rene Howe power a towering header past Weymouth keeper Chris Lewington.

Just minutes later a scintillating move saw Georgiou burst through the Weymouth rear guard only to be foiled at the last second by the diving Lewington, while there was just time for a speculative shot by Howe from the half way line to cause Lewington some anxiety before half-time arrived on a thoroughly satisfactory note for the visitors.

Whatever Weymouth boss Mark Molesley said at half-time certainly galvanised his team into a much more potent attacking force. They were level within five minutes of the restart when the marauding Calvin Brooks combined well with Emmanuel Odubade to send a ferocious drive past Tokarczyk.

The game became more expansive with both teams creating chances but it was Weymouth who broke the deadlock when Tokarczyk failed to gather a fierce Brooks cross and the predatory Brandon Goodship was on hand to volley home for a 2-1 edge.

Despite this setback Kings refused to buckle and kept probing for an equaliser which, until that late drama, looked to have eluded them.

A swift move across the box in the fourth minute of added time ended with Brooks clipping sub Claudio Ofosu and Georgiou took responsibility to confidently convert the spot-kick.

With seconds remaining, tempers flared and there was an unsavoury end to the game as the referee had to show a flurry of yellow 
cards after Josh Wakefield poleaxed Kings’ Louie Collier, before the curtain was bought down on an absorbing encounter.

This Saturday Kings will be hoping to continue their good run when they host bottom club Staines Town.