The result went as many had expected as Kings Langley were beaten 2-0 at Southern League Premier Division title-chasing Hitchin Town on Saturday, but the visitors were left aggrieved by how their afternoon unfolded.

When Hitchin visited Gaywood Park back in October, they were unanimously declared to be the best team Kings had met this season. Their performance in this return showed them to have improved even on that, as they dominated this encounter to stay within two points of the top of the table.

But the scoreline doesn’t tell the story of a courageous backs-to-the-wall defensive performance that denied the title challengers a goal in open play or Kings’ disappointment in a refereeing display that awarded the Canaries two penalties for handball and the visitors two red cards.

With Jack Pattison injured, Richard Platt retained the right-back position and new signing Kieran Turner made his debut in the number 10 shirt in an otherwise full-strength side. But it was soon apparent that Kings were in for a long afternoon as Town soaked up any pressure and broke at pace to keep the visiting rearguard stretched.

Callum Donnelly went close on at least three occasions before Robbie Burns missed a golden opportunity. Hitchin’s frustration continued to mount in the last few minutes of the first half as Burns was denied first by a superb Gary Connolly interception on the line and then a full-length save by Xavi Comas.

Wide men Steve Ward and Jack Waldren had received close attention and the Kings midfield had struggled to make an impact, the only moment of note being a Lewis Toomey shot on the turn blocked by a compact defence.

But the visitors’ backline had held out valiantly and the home team talk must have been concerned with finding the key to a stubborn door.

The second half started in the same fashion, but seven minutes in, the referee turned locksmith and awarded a penalty for a fizzing shot that hit Toomey. The visitors’ protests were anguished, pointing to an imprint high on the arm of the striker’s shirt but the official remained resolute and Will Wright dispatched the spot kick with power.

It was rough on Kings but they dug in again and manager Paul Hobbs made a brave substitution, sending on two front men in an attempt to rescue the situation.

Unfortunately for Langley, that plan was severely inhibited when Toomey, frustrated by another decision, addressed unacceptable language to the official and was dismissed on 70 minutes.

The beleaguered visitors still stuck to their task, the title chasers still couldn’t find a way through and with four minutes to go the official made a key decision again, adjudging intent on a shot through a crowded box that made contact with the hand of Platt.

Cue repeat scenes with the same outcome, but the man in black hadn’t finished yet, awarding a second yellow, then red to Mayo Balogun in time added on, when the foul had been committed by another Kings player.

The final whistle sounded minutes later to end an afternoon that an aggrieved Kings will probably wish to forget.

Kings Langley: Comas; Platt, Connolly, Johnson, Balogun; Hitchcock, Plowright; Ward (Verney 58), Turner (Duku 58), Waldren (Amoo 74); Toomey. Subs not used: Bush and Gallagher.