Kings Langley joint boss Ritchie Hanlon insists there is no pressure on his side as the Southern League Division One Central title race hots up going into the final furlong.

Four teams are separated by four points and Kings remain right in the thick of the hunt despite being held to a goalless draw at Fleet Town on Tuesday evening.

Paul Hughes and Hanlon’s side had begun the evening on top of the pile after beating Uxbridge 3-1 on Saturday, but they slipped to second on goal difference behind Egham Town after they beat the team Kings replaced at the summit, Royston Town, 3-1.

Third-placed Royston, arguably, still have a marginal advantage – as long as they win their game in hand – but fourth-placed St Ives Town are also poised to pounce if any of the three teams above them slip up during the run-in.

Hanlon said: “It will go right down to the wire. We are in a position that we never thought we would be in at the start of the season so there is no pressure on us. Being where we are is an achievement in itself. It’s been a phenomenal season. The lads have come on leaps and bounds and surprised us all.

“Obviously we want to win it and are striving to win it but there is no pressure and that makes it easier for us because our boys can go out and play without any fear.”

Kings visit lowly Barton Rovers tomorrow but Hanlon insists that league positions count for nothing at this stage of the season and warned that his men cannot take anything for granted.

He said: “It really doesn’t matter where any team is now. Teams are fighting to stay in the league, players are fighting for contracts, and other players are trying to earn a move away so I think the position of teams in the league goes out of the window at this stage.”

Kings certainly found that on Tuesday when they came up against a Fleet outfit who are 31 points behind them in the table.

But an arduous trip to Hampshire in “mad traffic” on the M25 and M3 was followed by an even trickier night on the pitch after which Hanlon was relieved to get back on the motorway and come away unbeaten with another point added to the board.

He said: “I felt it was a point gained by us. Fleet were very good and they made it very difficult for us to create chances like we usually do and hats off to them. They deserved their point and perhaps shaded it on the night.”

But he admitted that there was a little bit of frustration as well because Kings had been winning the original game just before Christmas when it was abandoned at half-time due to torrential rain after Mitchell Weiss had put his side 1-0 up.

Tuesday’s rearranged fixture was a different story altogether though, and Kings, who lined up without the injured Ryan Plowright and Connor Toomey, might even have lost it right at the death when, in the fourth and final minute of time added on, Fleet had the ball in the net from a scrambled corner, only to have it disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Xavi Comas.

If that was a relief for Kings, it also served as a reminder that there is still plenty of time for twists and turns this season.

Hanlon said: “I think Royston have to be favourites because of their game in hand but if we win all four of our games everyone else is under real pressure.

“A lot can happen between now and the end of the season. There’s a lot of teams involved and the key is to keep winning and if we continue to play as we have been doing this season we are capable.”