Kings Langley’s four-game Southern League Premier Division unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 at Dorchester Town.

A stunning first-half strike from Tom Blair ultimately proved the difference after Steve Conroy’s went unrewarded following their latest improved showing in the second period.

The Kings boss kept faith with the same XI that had started the 1-1 draw with Slough Tow last time out, but his charges started slowly and struggled to deal with a heavy pitch.

The home side were using the wings to their advantage and a Blair cross saw Sam Lanahan head inches over, before Martin Bennett was quick off his line to block an Archie Collins shot.

Kings gradually made their presence felt and a Callum Adebiyi cross found Gareth Price unable to find the room to force the ball home, while an Arjun Jung shot was blocked by a defence well marshalled by the imposing figure of Ross Carmichael.

Indeed, it was from the break up of a Langley attack minutes later that Carmichael delivered the ball out to Blair on the left wing and he took the ball in one movement to turn inside Max Fraser and unleash a shot across Bennett and into the far corner of the net.

It was a stunningly skilful goal and one that seemed to subdue Kings for the remainder of the half as they managed only long balls out of defence and one Price header which was easily held, while Gary Bowles tested Bennett at the other end with a fierce shot.

However, the visitors were to follow their own script of late and came back for the second half as a different proposition, the opening salvo being a Matt Ball volley just over.

The industrious Stevie Ward and Price combined to win the ball back and deliver to Kieran Turner, but the winger wanted just a little too much time to find his shot, while a Fraser run and cross tested the well organised home defence.

Langley were now building up to an onslaught and Jung and Jorell Johnson had shots blocked virtually on the line, before the introduction of Mitchell Weiss looked to have paid off as his fierce shot honed in on the far corner of the net, only to be diverted on the line by a despairing toe for a corner.

Langley were nearly caught out by a Dorchester break that resulted in Bennett tipping the ball round the post from Lanahan, but they resumed the quest for parity with Price racing clear for a confrontation with keeper Chris Weale, with the latter saving superbly.

As the clock hit the 90-minute mark, the board showed an extra four and Kings fans dared to wonder if their side could grab a stoppage-time equaliser again.

The final attack surged forward, Weale made a brave block in a crowded area and the ball fell to Adebiyi, whose shot was true, only for the excellent keeper to recover to tip the ball around the post and with that when the visitors’ hopes of a point.

Kings Langley: Bennett; Fraser, Connolly, Johnson, Adebiyi; Jung (Minchev 81), Ball, Godfrey; Ward, Price, Turner (Weiss 65). Subs not used: Coldicott-Stevens, Gosling, Femiola.