Kings Langley moved up to fourth in the Southern League Division One Central table and within three points of the summit after recording a third consecutive win for the first time this season following a 2-1 victory at Ware on Saturday.

Without a home game for six weeks, Ware worked hard to get a heavy pitch playable, but slipped to a sixth consecutive defeat against a Kings side who are establishing a rhythm.

The hosts survived a dominant opening ten minutes from Kings before Xavi Comas blocked a strong shot from skipper Murat Karagul, but the visitors upped the tempo and went close with a Stevie Ward wing run, cutting inside and shooting just past the post.

David Hutton went closer still as the chance ratio increased, but the visitors finally made it count just past the half-an-hour mark. Immanuelson Duku, drafted in for the prolific Mitchell Weiss, was eager to make an impact and when he put an overhead kick out to the path of Hutton on the right wing, the latter’s floated cross was perfect for the striker to head home from close range.

Kings looked comfortable in their lead, despite a back header from Eliott Bailey well tipped over by Comas, but eight minutes into the second half, the heavy pitch deceived Callum Adebiyi, who slipped, allowing marksman Kieron Bishop to slot the ball past the keeper.

Langley took the setback in their stride and having been forced to introduce Lorenzo Ferrari for the hard-working Connor Toomey at half-time, saw the striker begin an aggressive run down the right wing, culminating in trying his luck with a fierce angled shot. Tom Coulton parried the ball at the near post, the rebound fell well for Hutton in a crowded box and Coulton did well to block his shot. However, the ball came straight back to Hutton and this time the man-of-the-match was not to be denied, as his shot flew through the pack and into the net.

Ware laboured hard for parity again, but Kings came closest to adding to the scoresheet, a Duku free-kick acrobatically tipped over and a Ryan Plowright shot scraping the bar, as they closed the game out and coasted home to rise to fourth on a day the top two – AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Chalfont St Peter - both lost heavily.