Kings Langley’s play-off hopes suffered a setback as Metropolitan Police boosted their top-five prospects with a 1-0 victory, but the weather also proved to be a winner.

Luke Robertson’s 39th-minute goal was enough to separate the two sides to leave Steve Conroy’s men three points outside the Evo-stik South Premier Division South play-offs, with a game in hand on fifth-placed Poole Town but with a significantly inferior goal difference.

However, Saturday’s top-six clash was spoilt by the unrelenting gale-force winds as both teams were frustrated in their attempts to play their normal fast-flowing games.

Josh Coldicott-Stevens regained a starting role in place of the injured Dylan Switters and Andronicos Georgiou returned on the bench after the illness that kept him out of the triumph at Salisbury.

The Blues played with the wind in their favour in the first half and got the first real chance after 20 minutes when Mikel Platt was foiled by a superb Callum Adebiyi tackle as he pulled the trigger.

Jacob Cook almost got Stevie Ward through at the other end five minutes later, but Kings were finding the wind an effective 12th opponent and the home side came close when a Junior Eldstal header grazed the bar and a 40-yard power shot by Nesta Guinness-Walker was just over.

But with half-time in sight, the pressure finally told as an Ethan Chislett shot was deflected into the net via the post by Robertson for what was ultimately to prove the winner.

With weather conditions now marginally in their favour, Kings had by far the better of second-half possession, but the unpredictability of the path of the ball was frustrating both sides and the game took on an edge as a solid-looking Langley back line caught home forwards offside on several occasions and Police strived to protect their slender advantage.

Rene Howe was just wide with a shot, Cook combined with Ward to finish off a flowing move only to be ruled offside and a dipping Coldicott-Stevens free-kick was deflected for a corner.

When the ball was on the ground, both teams showed the kind of play they are capable of, but those were brief interludes and an ever increasing cast of balls spent far too much time in the air, some exiting the field of play as if in protest.

Mitchell Weiss just failed to get round Bertie Schotterl from a tight angle to salvage a draw, but it was the Blues who had the last chance when Oliver Knight shot wide on the break with virtually the last kick of a disappointing match.

Kings can now look forward to back-to-back home games as they bid to boost their hopes of a top-five finish, firstly against 13-placed Wimborne Town on Saturday before Hartley Wintney, who are currently 10th, visit the Sadiku Stadium on Tuesday.

Kings Langley: Tokarczyk; Connolly (Hitchock 90), Johnson, Adebiyi, O’Keefe; Ward (Collier 82), Cook, Coldicott-Stevens, Putman (Georgiou 67); Howe, Weiss. Subs not used: Osborne.