Louie Collier created one goal and scored the other as Kings Langley pulled away from the Southern League Premier Central danger zone with a 2-0 victory at Redditch United.

The 18-year-old staked a further claim for the number 10 shirt by capping an increasingly confident display by setting up the opener for Mitchell Weiss before making sure of the points with a second goal for the visitors in the closing stages.

The victory moved Chris Cummins’ men up to 15th in the table, but with at least one game in hand on most of the sides around them.

Saturday’s contest got off to a slow start, but after Redditch’s Romario Martin put the first chance well over, a flowing Langley move ended with Collier doing likewise as the game began to open up.

Kurtis Revan sent in a low cross just missed by Jamie Lucas and a quick response by the visitors saw Weiss hit the post. As the Reds upped the pace, Melvin Minter took centre stage for an impressive 10 minutes, punching clear from Martin and Jak Hickman and saving at the feet of a clearly offside player, allowed through by the assistant.

The visitors finished the half strongly, to claw back the balance as a Kyle Connolly free-kick across goal beat everyone and a flurry of corners saw three successive goal-bound shots blocked.

While high on effort, it had not been a spectacular opening 45 minutes, with the ball spending more time in the air than on the ground and it was to be hoped that things would change in the second period.

Fortunately for those watching, the match did improve, with Stevie Ward setting up an opportunity in the first minute after the restart for Collier and although he dragged the shot inches wide, he was honing in on the target.

At the other end the pacy Martin twice got clear of the Kings back line, but Minter came out to make two further top drawer saves.

As the game swung from end to end, a Max Hercules cross was inches away from the outstretched boot of Weiss.

Then came the moment of quality that defines games as Collier played an insightful forward diagonal pass into the path of Weiss and the striker finished with a characteristic finish across the keeper to the small target between outstretched glove and far post.

It had the hallmark of a winner, but United fought back with a Callum Coyle shot just over and then Minter got the slice of luck his performance probably deserved when he spilled a shot but the ball bounced back into his arms off the incoming Coyle.

That apart, Kings were looking increasingly in control and when Hercules sent a last-minute cross that Weiss flicked onto the keeper it was a fitting climax when Collier hammered home the rebound.

The only blot on the landscape of a very good day was a sickening landing by Kyle Connolly resulting in a trip to hospital and the good wishes of both clubs for a speedy recovery go with him.

Kings Langley: Minter; Pattison, Johnson, Adebiyi, K Connolly (Lamboh 67); Collins; Ward (Linsell 61), Coldicott-Stevens, Collier, Hercules; Weiss. Subs not used: Victor, Brady.