The disappointment etched on Kings Langley players’ faces as they left the pitch after losing 1-0 against Banbury United is evidence of the club’s growth, says Paul Hobbs.

Play-off chasing Banbury United required a lapse in concentration from Kings to force the win as Conor McDonagh scored the only goal at Gaywood Park.

With Kings’ main priority being to secure Southern League Premier Division safety, Hobbs was understandably content with his side’s display.

“It shows how far we have come, the boys walked off the pitch absolutely gutted that we have been beaten by one of our own mistakes against a top six side,” Hobbs said.

“We were very disappointed in the end, but it’s coming off a good little run of form.

“We performed well for 89 minutes and it was just one lapse in concentration where we got punished.”

Saturday’s match saw Kings take the game to United and were unfortunate not to lead through Manny Duku as early as the third minute.

The game remained tight until the 70th minute when an ill-advised short corner allowed Banbury to break the length of the field.

McDonagh finished the sweeping counter in emphatic fashion, drilling in from the edge of the box.

Regardless of the result, Kings remain eight points clear of the relegation zone, and Hobbs believes the cushion could be important.

He said: “I’d rather have it than not, put it that way. Everybody is looking at each other’s results at the moment, but the gap could be important.”

Tuesday night provided further frustration for the Gaywood Park club as a waterlogged pitch saw their match against Chippenham Town called off.

After playing four games in a 12 day period, Hobbs feels the enforced break could help Kings as they look to recover a fatigued squad.

“It was a bit of a blessing in disguise,” he explained. “Fitness is going to play a big part between now and the end of the season.

“We need to keep everyone fit and free of suspension if we possibly can,”

Kings’ season was never likely to be defined by games against teams near the summit of the table as they look to establish themselves in a new, competitive division.

Tomorrow’s meeting with 13th place St Ives Town is, therefore, a far better acid test of Kings’ survival hopes.

Town are five places and five points clear of Kings and Hobbs is targetting maximum points from the trip to Westwood Road.

“A positive result out of this fixture on Saturday could move us up and will keep us clear of the relegation zone,” he said.

“We need to beat the teams around us and we need to keep doing that between now and the end of the season.”

Hobbs’ desire to pick up points from teams around Kings in the league stems from a wish to avoid an end of season scrap for survival.

He said: “We need to pick up as many points as quickly as we can to make sure we are safe as quickly as possible.

“We do not want to go into the final game of the season needing to win. That would be putting too much pressure on ourselves.

“We have a really good feeling around the club at the moment and I want to make sure we don’t lose that.”