Kings Langley returned from the long trip to Somerset in the snow empty-handed after a good performance went unrewarded in a 2-1 defeat at Frome Town on Saturday.

Elliott Godfrey had put Steve Conroy’s men in front with his first goal for the club, but their previously out-of-form opponents turned the game around after the break thanks in large part to the award of a penalty.

With Gary Connolly unavailable, the returning Macsen Fraser took his place in the centre of defence, Arjun Jung switched to right-back and Stevie Ward slotted into the number 10 role.

Frome went into the game on the back of six consecutive defeats, the last of which had done Kings no favours with a single goal home loss against fellow basement battlers St Ives Town.

The hosts started the better and Martin Bennett pulled off a good early save from Mitchell Page, but Kings gradually played themselves into the contest and Town goalkeeper Kyle Phillips had to be at his best to deny Mitchell Weiss in the 35th minute.

An Ollie Knight shot was cleared off the Kings line shortly after, but as the clock reached 45 minutes Town failed to clear their lines properly and Godfrey, who had been felled by Phillips, recovered to drill the loose ball into the corner of the net from 10 yards for his first goal since joining Kings.

The Robins came out with the cold wind at their backs and on the offensive, with Bennett tipping over a George Miller shot and a couple of dangerous low crosses finding no takers.

But two major incidents were to swing the game in Frome’s favour.

A high ball into the box brought a coming together of Bennett and Page and the ball rolled to the goal-line, but was superbly cleared by the retreating Jorell Johnson. Without appeal from the Frome players or supporters, the referee pointed to the spot and the resultant kick was despatched by Miller to the left of the aggrieved Bennett.

Five minutes later, the solid Fraser was taken off the pitch for treatment and the 10 men saw a Miller free-kick met by a stooping header from Joe Raynes for the ball to cross the line via the inside of the post.

Under-18 youngster Louie Collier comes on for his debut in place of Fraser and Price entered the fray alongside Weiss as Kings desperately searched for an equaliser.

The frustrations of the latter saw him receive his fifth booking for dissent of the season after a Ward run was unceremoniously halted, before a fine move involving five-one touch passes ended with a good shot by Josh Coldicott-Stevens going just over.

Kings kept pushing until the end, but they couldn’t find a way through as another match was settled by fine lines and major decisions.