Kings Langley came out second best in their top-of-the-table clash at leaders St Ives Town, going down 2-0 in Southern League Division One Central.

Four consecutive league wins had left Ritchie Hanlon and Paul Hughes’ side occupying the final play-off place but they were unable to continue that run against the club who currently top the division by a point.

Kings made a bright start with a through ball from Mitchell Weiss and a cross from Lorenzo Ferrari causing panic in the hosts’ defence after just 15 seconds.

Yet it was St Ives who went in front after 19 minutes when Jared Cunniff picked out Scott Sinclair to volley acrobatically past Ant Ladyman.

It was Sinclair again a few minutes later who brought a good stop out of the Kings keeper as St Ives began to take control.

Kings toiled with limited success but almost equalised when Mo Shariff – recently signed on a dual registration from Hemel Hempstead Town – saw a deflected effort force St Ives keeper Tim Trebes into a fine save.

The visitors continued to push for an equaliser but couldn’t find a way through the St Ives defence.

And the hosts eventually killed the game off on the counter-attack from a Kings corner, a suspiciously offside looking Cunniff firing beyond Ladyman.