Watford's Gould scores as Kings Langley draw at Leighton

In truth, had Saturday’s Southern League Division One Central encounter been a boxing match, it would have been stopped at half time to avoid the visitors taking further punishment.

Only a string of superlative saves by goalkeeper Cian Moore kept them in the game, but in true warrior fashion Kings picked themselves up off the canvas to turn in a battling second-half display which saw them twice come from behind to achieve parity, with on-loan Watford defender Ali Gould scoring on his debut

Indeed, but for a ‘worldy’ of a save by Leighton keeper Connor Hunt they might well have won it.

Bradley Smith scored Kings' first equaliser from the penalty spot (Image: Micah Ricketts (M Rich Photography))

Kings actually started the brighter, with James Towell marauding up the right and sending in a fierce cross-cum-shot which Hunt gathered well.

That was as good as it got for the visitors in the first half as the home side dominated proceedings, creating a series of chances that should have seen them out of sight at the break.

That was almost entirely due to the heroics of Moore as he thwarted both Charlie Pattison and Lynton Goss in one-on-one situations, fingertipped a superb effort by Goodlove Oppong around the post and followed that up with a point-blank save from Luke Pyman’s bullet header from the resultant corner.

In between, the crossbar came to Kings’ rescue from Pattison’s header as the former Langley man could easily have had a first half hat-trick.

As it was, the hosts only had Jack Sayell’s 12th-minute tap in, after clever work by Pattison, to show for their ascendancy in the first period.

The hosts were to rue their laxity as Kings came out a different side in the second period which saw them level within ten minutes of the restart.

Bradley Smith, who worked tirelessly throughout, capitalised on defensive indecision to toe the ball past Hunt only for the keeper’s injudicious challenge to dump the teenage forward in a heap. Smith picked himself up to convert the resultant penalty with ease.

Buoyed by their success, Kings surged forward and created a number of opportunities, as it became the host’s turn to come under pressure.

It was therefore, against the run of play, when a brilliant dribble by Leighton’s Tolu Ikuyinminu saw him ghost past four defenders and drill the ball past Moore to restore the home side’s advantage after 62 minutes.

However, Kings were determined not to squander their redemption and came back again to level when a superb delivery by Josh Bryant saw Isaac Pedro head across goal for Gould to touch home.

Kings sensed the enticement of what had seemed an unlikely victory and they thought they had it when Lance Williams’ powerful header arrowed towards the corner of the net only for Hunt to pull off that incredible save.

That was the last meaningful action of what turned out to be a pulsating affair that left both teams drained with conflicting emotions, but honours even.