Kings Langley earn Southern League double over AFC Dunstable

When the teams last met in August, Kings edged an 11-goal thriller at Creasey Park and they were to come out on top again in the Southern League Division One Central clash thanks to a Louie Collier penalty and further goals from Michael Adu-Poku, Issac Pedro and Rene Howe.

Jordan Parkes was without central defenders Hugo Odogwu-Atkinson and Matt Hall, but skipper Jorell Johnson returned from injury and Pedro was moved into the back four to partner him, while recent signings Darnell-Joe Luke and Lewis Smith completed a revamped midfield.

Watford loanee Michael Adu-Poku scores Kings' second goal (Image: Micah Ricketts (M Rich Photography))

It was apparent from the start that the two-week lay-off had refreshed the home side, who showed a tigerish willingness to press, retrieve possession and attack throughout, a characteristic not always in evidence lately.

The ODs also played their part, as attacks moved from end to end and it was the visitors who drew first blood when an outcoming Gabriel Ortelli slipped, allowing them a clear view of goal. Kings defended desperately as the young keeper scrambled back to goal, but when one of those bocks fell to Daniel Idiakhoa, he beat the despairing drive of Ortelli.

The hosts’ reply was swift as Collier, going away from goal, was needlessly tripped before rising to dispatch the penalty and within another ten minutes they had taken the lead, as a Sam Murphy cross saw the keeper get a hand to block it before Adu-Poku controlled the rebound to lash the ball home.

The joy of scoring: Isaac Pedro celebrates (Image: Micah Ricketts (M Rich Photography))

Back came the visitors with a somewhat dubious penalty award for what looked to be a shoulder to shoulder in the box and Enrico Greco was able to restore parity five minutes before the break.

However, there was to be further first half drama as a Rayan Clarke corner was nodded on by Adu-Poku for Pedro to put Kings in front again and the interval arrived with a mostly happy crowd wondering if the previous 11-goal show could be reprised.

In the event, the answer was to be no, as even though both sides continued to attack, it was to be six minutes from the end of normal time before the scoreboard was troubled again.

Rene Howe celebrates netting Kings' fourth (Image: Micah Ricketts (M Rich Photography))

There was plenty of incident with Kings being denied what looked the clearest of penalties for a two-handed shove in the back on Collier, no takers to a mesmerising run and cross from super-sub Lorenzo Johnson and a superb save from Ortelli from a free-kick through a crowded wall that should have seen the visitors level.

As it was, Howe was on hand to flick home a Shaun Keane cross to confirm victory six minutes from the end of normal time before the referee capped an erratic performance by adding a baffling 12 minutes and forty seconds over the ninety. Perhaps he, like the crowd, didn’t want a highly entertaining game to end.