The weather has scuppered Kings Langley's hopes of moving into the Evo-Stik South Premier Division South play-offs tonight after their clash with Hartley Wintney was postponed.

Josh Coldicott-Stevens' rocket had given Steve Conroy's side a late 2-1 victory at title-chasing Salisbury on Saturday to leave Kings trailing fifth-placed Poole Town only on goal difference, and with a game in hand.

That fixture was against Wintney at the Sadikku Stadium, but tonight's game has been called off before a scheduled 1pm pitch inspection could take place following a torrential downpour in the area.

Having been pegged back by an injury-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture 18 days previously, it appeared Langley had travelled to Wiltshire with a plan to slow the game down from the start and keeper Alex Tokarczyk became the target of a large partisan crowd’s ire with his leisurely approach to goal kicks from the onset.

The home side had the better of the first quarter-of-an hour with winger Louis Benson and Thomas Whelan through the centre looking particularly dangerous as Kings struggled to find their rhythm.

But their first serious foray was a flowing movement of artistry that gave them a lead that stunned the home crowd and left boss Steve Claridge fuming.

Callum Adebiyi and Charlie O’Keefe combined on the left to send Lewis Putman on his way to the corner flag, where he beat his man with fine footwork to send over a cross that was met with an emphatic header by Rene Howe.

For all the pressure Salisbury then exerted until half-time, Kings’ only anxious moments were a goalmouth scramble and a diving Darren Mullings header past the post. Meanwhile, the visitors always looked dangerous as they executed the other part of their tactics, which was to hit Salisbury on the break.

The atmosphere ramped up even further after the interval with Tokarczyk making an excellent save, but he was powerless when, with shades of the previous encounter, Salisbury equalised with a swerving free-kick by Benson.

If the hosts thought they were halfway to three points, they were forced to think again as a break by Howe and then a header by Mitchell Weiss brought the best out of keeper Jake Hallett, before Jorell Johnson had a good chance that seemed to take him by surprise.

The sheer number of home attacks had the travelling fans counting down the minutes, but with the 90 almost up the unthinkable happened as far as Salisbury were concerned.

Kings had mounted another keep-ball attack, but Putman played the ball square to Coldicott-Stevens, introduced 10 minutes earlier, and the midfielder unleashed a 25-yard rocket into the net.

The eight minutes of time added were ridden out, leaving Kings celebrating a fine victory that left them outside the play-offs only on goal difference.

Kings Langley: Tokarczyk; Connolly, Johnson, Adebiyi, O’Keefe; Ward (Hitchcock 89), Cook, Switters, Putman (Osborne 90); Howe (Coldicott-Stevens 80), Weiss. Sub not used: Collier.