The race for the Southern League Division One Central title took another twist on Saturday as Kings Langley returned to the summit with a 3-1 home win against Uxbridge.

Royston Town had led the way going into the weekend, but they slipped back to a point behind Paul Hughes and Ritchie Hanlon’s side after being held to a goalless draw at Bedford Town.

The former leaders still have a game in hand but there are set to be more twists tomorrow night as Kings visit 15th-placed Fleet Town while Royston travel to third-placed Egham Town, who are also in the thick of the title hunt as they currently sit two points off the top.

The highly versatile Connor Toomey was switched back to his earlier season role of wide left and was a constant outlet with his early control of the ball and pace off the mark, culminating in a fifth-minute first time cross on the run that found Danny Hutchins coming in from the opposite wing to deliver a low volley into the net.

Sam Gray was kept busy in the visiting goal, tipping a Mitchell Weiss shot around the post and doing enough to force Gary Connolly to shoot wide when put through by David Hutton.

However, the keeper and his fellow defender got themselves into a tangle with a goal kick and Weiss showed all the predatory skills that have seen him emerge as one of the division’s top three strikers, as he stole the ball and slotted home past the advancing Gray to double the hosts’ advantage after 35 minutes.

Uxbridge tried hard to get back in the game in the second half, but the third quarter was notable for the continuing contest between keeper and striker as Gray pulled off a superb save from Weiss, again tipping the ball around the post.

As in the first half, that prompted an answer that he was powerless to prevent, as a lofted through pass from Connolly enabled the Kings number 9 to beat the offside trap and stroke the ball past the exposed custodian after 65 minutes.

If Langley thought that they’d done enough and took their foot off the pedal, they were given a jolt as Uxbridge then had their best period of the game, striking a post, seeing Xavi Comas save point blank from Ken Warner and finally reducing the deficit on 73 minutes through a Matt Woods shot from the right.

But Kings shook themselves down to produce some dazzling inter-passing moves around the opposition goal, which though not producing a further score, were highly entertaining and easy on the eye, while Stuart Deaton and his defence recovered to blunt the visitors’ momentum and ensure a comfortable close to proceedings.