SURVIVAL A MASSIVE FOR RE-WARD KINGS
STEVE WARD etched his name into Kings Langley folklore as his 28th-minute tap-in was enough to see the hosts beat the drop on goal difference and condemn visiting Cirencester to relegation at Gaywood Park.
Billed as the biggest game in Langley’s history, after three successive promotions in recent seasons had brought them to their highest-ever league status, this scruffy affair will solely be remembered for the outcome rather than the quality of football.
Both sides seemed understandably nervy from the beginning, but when Ward’s close-range effort hit the net the home faithful knew their fate was firmly in their hands.
In truth this might be as comfortable a final-day relegation dogfight as you’ll witness, with the Centurions only marginally turning up the heat in the final 15 minutes, perhaps deflated by Cambridge City’s impending victory at home to St Neots Town which meant whatever they achieved in Hertfordshire would not be enough.
Charlie Griffin’s Cirens, boasting a two-game winning run coming into the game which kept their faint survival hopes alive, conjured the first opening in the fifth minute with James Mortimer-Jones shooting into the midriff of custodian Xavi Comas.
The home side responded well with Jerry Amoo close to finding a vital touch to divert Lee Stobbs’ corner home.
Shortly after came the Langley breakthrough. Lewis Toomey’s flick-on sent Amoo bursting down the left and his perfect cutback found Ward steaming in at the far post to touch in.
Cirencester were looking for a quick reply with Alan Griffin’s spin and shot, easily dealt with by Comas, the best they could muster before the break.
The second half was even scrappier, with the visitors’ best chance came in the 54th minute when Alan Griffin’s downward header at a corner flew to the far stick with skipper Matt Liddiard’s flying boot missing the ball by inches.
It took almost another quarter of the game to unearth further goalmouth action with Liddiard again involved, this time shooting wide from 18 yards.
Langley could have made sure of a less nail-biting finish when keeper Glyn Garner’s sliced clearance presented an open goal to Stobbs, but his 30-yard effort had neither the distance nor the accuracy.