Kings Langley boss Hanlon believes Challenge Trophy run will help fitness for title run-in

A 4-0 win over Division One side Buckingham Athletic secured Kings’ place in the last four of the Challenge Trophy on Tuesday evening but it came a week after their last run out.

Saturday’s clash with Berkhamsted was lost to the weather, meaning the league leaders had not played since beating Hadley 1-0 on February 10.

The Berko clash had been given the green light to go ahead initially but was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch following a second inspection.

It means Kings have now played four games less than second-placed AFC Dunstable, who missed the chance to go top after drawing 1-1 with Tring Athletic on Tuesday.

And Hanlon believes the cup run has proved beneficial for his side: “No, [it is not hard balancing the league and the cup] because we have had so many cancellations. We need games to keep people fit, so it has all fallen into place.

“We gave the boys Thursday off because they had played so well against Hadley and then the Berko game was postponed too. That is why we included a few in the squad against Buckingham Athletic, to keep them ticking over.”

It was two of the “big guns” who came off the bench to sink Buckingham, who had managed to resist the Premier Division leaders until Alex Campana struck in the 68th minute.

From there it was routine. Mitchell Weiss sealed Kings’ passage with a stunning seven-minute hat-trick; converting from a Campana cross for the first, adding a second with sheer brute force before racing through to complete his treble.

Reflecting on the win, Hanlon said: “We were always in control. We gave some young lads a game, which we try to do in the cup games because we want to keep the flow [into the first team].

“We just could not get the goal so we brought the big guns on. They are vitally important but we do share our goals about and we have five or six who are in double figures already.”

Kings travel to London Colney tomorrow (Saturday) before hosting Ampthill Town on Tuesday.

Fourth-placed Sun Sports are still yet to win back-to-back league games this season despite overcoming Leverstock Green 1-0 on Tuesday.

The aptly-named Pancake Lane was the venue for Sun’s win on Shrove Tuesday, which came courtesy of Craig Lynskey's 35th-minute strike.

Former Levy man James Armstrong almost opened the scoring for visiting Sun prior to Lynskey’s effort but could not beat goalkeeper Kieran Jimmy.

Green posed a threat, though, and ought to have equalised when Billy Smith was denied by Ross Hampton. Smith was again denied by the Sun stopper from 20 yards soon after.

Three days earlier, Paul Hobbs’ men were left frustrated after conceding an 85th-minute goal to lose 2-1 home to Wembley, with Scott Bonner the Sun scorer.

Sun host Ampthill Town tomorrow (Saturday) whilst Levy are at home to Holmer Green.

Oxhey Jets edged out St Margaretsbury in a seven-goal thriller on Saturday, coming from 2-0 down to win 4-3 with an injury-time strike.

Robbed of the services of player-boss Wayne Gladdy due to a fatality on the M40, Jets fell behind to a Kevin Ashwood goal. And things went from bad to worse when Chris Killer’s afternoon was cut short after suffering concussion.

After the break, Ashwood doubled up for St Margaretsbury, who appeared set for all three points.

However, Jets fought back valiantly and two goals in three minutes from Sim Armstrong got the home side back on level terms with 13 minutes still left to play.

Tim O’Mara struck in the 90th minute to put Jets ahead for the first time but the joy was short-lived as Lee Roberts levelled.

But Gladdy’s side were not to be denied and in the second minute of injury time, Luke Beardsworth sealed the win for Jets.

Next up is a trip to Hadley tomorrow.

Tring Athletic preceded Tuesday's draw with Dunstable by crushing London Tigers 4-1 on Saturday.

Taylor Collins (2), Kieron Turner and Christopher Vardy all hit the back of the net.

Tring travel to rivals Berkhamsted tomorrow.