Kings Langley were beaten 3-1 by Beaconsfield SYCOB in Tuesday night’s Southern League Division 1 Central clash at Gaywood Park.
With Mitchell Weiss and Stuart Deaton joining the ever-increasing injury list, Kings started in a hurry and a full blooded shot from outside the box by Ollie Cox had Brendan Hazlett pulling out an athletic tip over in the first minute, while a Callum Adebiyi downward header hit the post from the resultant corner.
Both teams were using space well - Beaconsfield especially so on the wings - but the next clear chance was almost on the half hour when a flowing move was ended with a Lorenzo Ferrari header straight at the keeper.
The Rams’ shooting was wayward when they did fashion chances, but that all changed when Aaron Berry was involved in a race into the area with Luke Ladyman. Keeper Ant Ladyman came off his line and in the resultant coming together of all three, the ball fell for Berry who unselfishly squared for Tope Fowudu to tap in the easiest of chances.
When Lee Togwell rifled a superb shot into the far corner of the net seven minutes later, Kings looked a beaten side, but they came out after the break in a different frame of mind and a neat interpassing move down the right between Steve Ward and Ollie Cole put the ball to the feet of the incoming Lorenzo Ferrari, who finished from an acute angle.
Suddenly the lead looked a fragile one and Danny Hutchins’ free-kick beat everyone but the defender on the line who somehow managed to hook it clear at the last minute.
Kings were throwing everything forward, but when the likely equaliser failed to arrive, it became apparent that the Rams had weathered the storm and started to replicate their first half performance.
The death knell for Kings came with four minutes to go when Ant Ladyman was adjudged to have brought down Charlie Lassaso and Jack Read converted the penalty.