Kings Langley’s run of near misses was ended after they won a pulsating clash 4-3 at Swindon Supermarine to move up to 16th in the Southern League Premier Division South table.

Striker Rene Howe led from the front for the visitors, scoring one goal and setting up two more to help Kings to their second league win of the campaign and move three points clear of the drop zone.

Both sides went into Saturday’s game in need of a tonic after draining midweek FA Cup replay exits and Kings applied the early pressure with Harry Tucker, back in the side for Max Ryan, unlucky to see his close-range shot deflected to bounce down onto the line.

However, it was Marine who took the lead in the 12th minute when a straight clearance down the middle saw the visiting defence fail to deal with it properly, keeper Charlie Burns caught in two minds and Brad Gray lob the custodian for an opportunist’s strike.

Kings hit back and their front three, showing signs of things to come, combined as Mitchell Weiss sent a through ball to Howe, who held off a challenge to cross for Stevie Ward to slot home from close range.

Burns was at full stretch to divert a shot soon after, while home keeper Kevin Sawyer made two smart saves from Weiss as Kings stepped up a gear.

The pressure finally paid off as a Dean Hitchcock free-kick saw Jorell Johnson and Sawyer rise together, neither claiming cleanly and Callum Adebiyi lashed home the loose ball with virtually the last kick of the opening half.

The second period saw Marine chasing the game and after Howe had hit a post, the home side were thrown a lifeline when the referee awarded them a penalty on the hour, seemingly for a high kick toward a stooping head.

The incident, coupled with the perceived injustice, was too much for manager Steve Conroy, who was sent to the stands, while two Langley players received cautions.

Brad Hooper finally dispatched the spot-kick and fired just over minutes later as the visitors faced a test of character, but to their credit they settled and began to again pose questions up front that the home defence couldn’t answer, seemingly unable to get the ball off Howe.

His pass sent Ward through to result in a penalty, coolly slotted home by the abused and Howe then demonstrated all his experience to take a magnificent first time pass from Weiss to round defender and keeper and put the game to bed.

Conor McDonagh scored a consolation for Marine deep into time added on, but that did nothing to detract from Kings’ joy at finally seeing a performance earn a three-point reward.

Kings Langley: Burns; Connolly, Tucker (Syme 72), Johnson, Adebiyi; Hitchcock (Coldicott-Stevens 80), Godfrey, Syla; Ward, Howe, Weiss. Subs not used: Pobbe, Toiny-Pendred, Collier.