Tenacious Kings grab a point

behind to grab a 2-2 draw.

Kings paraded their new signing, ex-Kettering Town striker Renee Howe, for the trip to Dorchester on Saturday and welcomed the return of skipper Gary Connolly, while Josh Coldicott-Stevens came into the side for the injured Jacob Cook.

The Magpies’ impressive stadium is now graced by an artificial surface and both sides treated the pitch and each other with respect for the opening quarter before a good move between Howe, Mitchell Weiss and Davide Pobbe ended with the latter’s goal-bound shot deflected for a corner.

But the good work was undone minutes later at the other end when Kavan Cotter failed to control the ball and Cameron Murray picked his pocket to take the ball round the exposed Kings keeper Charlie Burns, to give the home side the lead.

Kings fought back with the pace of Weiss and the experience of Howe, giving Dorchester some anxious moments, but a well-marshalled defence coped well and were generally good value for their lead at the interval.

The game continued into the second period in much the same way, with Burns pulling off a fingertip save around the post from a free-kick and two needless fouls in dangerous positions putting Kings under undue pressure.

But the visitors were beginning to retrieve the balance as a Weiss break and shot was diverted for a corner and a Howe header was plucked from the top corner by home custodian Kingsley Latham.

Dorchester had the ball in the net in the 69th minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside and then almost immediately a good combination between Weiss and Howe saw the latter’s header give Pobbe the space to hit a tremendous shot on the volley.

As the ball dropped over his shoulder, Latham was beaten and Kings were level.

The game turned as Kings went for the winner, but it was Dorchester who took advantage to hit on the break and Murray had time to double his tally via the post for a 2-1 lead in the 78th minute.

Kings once again faced the prospect of defeat on the road by the narrowest of margins, but they refused to lie down and saw their chance when Tom Blair was booked for a foul wide on the Kings left.

Lee Stobbs took the resultant free-kick and the incoming Connolly swept the ball past Latham with a low first-time shot in the 81st minute to pull Langley level at 2-2.

Burns pulled off a good blocking save before the final whistle signalled that vital first point for a tenacious Kings.

Next up for Kings, in 19th place after four games, is a trip to Frome Town, in 20th, this Saturday.