Kings Langley joint boss Richie Hanlon says it is easy to forget quite how far the league leaders have come as they prepare to visit third-placed Sun Sports on Saturday.

A 3-0 defeat at AFC Dunstable on Saturday saw the gap at the top of the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division close to three points, although Kings still boast two games in hand on Sun.

Both sides won promotion from Division One last term and Hanlon was keen to highlight that fact in the build-up to Saturday’s clash.

He said: “We had a long talk after the game last week and the brutal truth is we did not expect to be here so we have to step back, look at ourselves and say we are having a wonderful season.

“You don’t want to start making rash decisions because of one loss. It is easy to forget how far we have come and sometimes they need a pat on the back.”

Turning his attention to tomorrow’s meeting between the two rivals at Bellmount Wood Avenue, Hanlon was keen to play down the significance of the game.

He said: “We always struggle against Sun. I do not know what it is. We are going to go and try to win the game, as we always do.

“Everyone has a different mentality and mine is to keep doing the same things and keep working hard until they work. I believe if you work hard enough and believe in what you are doing, it will come off.

“It might be this Saturday, it might not be.”

Sun boss Paul Hobbs says there is no reason his side cannot maintain their proud record against Kings, whom they beat 3-0 away from home earlier in the season.

He said: “I was speaking to people who watch us and Kings the other day and they said it has got to come to an end at some time and I said ‘why?’ Everyone is beating everyone at the moment.

“It does mean a lot to the players and myself, especially me as a former manager. We have got a lot of lads who have played for Kings and I am sure Richie and Paul (Hughes) will be geeing them up for it too.”