Kings Langley’s Southern League Premier Central winless run stretched to a fourth game on Tuesday night when they were beaten 3-0 at high-flying Coalville Town.

The Leicestershire side underlined why they were the last team this season to lose an unbeaten record, although Kings’ cause was significantly hampered by the dismissal of Kyle Connolly early in the second half for a second bookable offence.

The home side’s penetrating attacks always carried a potent threat and the Langley defence, particularly goalkeeper Melvin Minter, were kept busy throughout the evening with a string of key interventions.

The first half was end-to-end with Kings more than matching the attacking endeavours of the hosts, player-coach Jordan Parkes orchestrating some enterprising approach play, but all too often the incisive end product was lacking.

Coalville too were finding the Kings rear guard a tough nut to crack and the resumption of the Jorell Johnson and Calum Adebiyi centre-back pairing was proving a resilient barrier.

Ultimately, it was an element of good fortune that enabled the hosts to break the deadlock in the 35th minute. A blocked Tom McGlinchey shot ballooned into the air and fell conveniently for the same player to follow up and cleverly head over the stranded Minter.

There was no further action of note before the conclusion of a half that left Kings reflecting on missed opportunities that would ultimately prove costly.

Chris Cummins re-shuffled his troops at half-time, introducing Alex Anderson for Louie Collier, but within minutes of the restart the Kings boss was forced to re-organise again when a wayward lunge by Connolly resulted in the defender’s early departure.

To their credit, Kings responded positively to the reduction in personnel and mounted a period of sustained attacking play.

One surging run by Adebiyi almost let in Mitchell Weiss only for the striker to be denied at the last by a saving tackle from Ravens’ man-of-the-match Stuart Pierpoint.

Saul Williams, too, had a similar opportunity when combining well with Weiss only for Coalville keeper Saul Deeney to make a smart save.

Inevitably, Kings’ numerical disadvantage and pursuit of an equaliser left gaps at the back. These openings were ruthlessly exploited by the hosts’ effective attacking force when Kalern Thomas cut in from the right and finished with surgical precision into the far corner.

Kings battled on gamely but were undone again five minutes from time when a perceptive through ball split the defence and allowed substitute Kairo Mitchell to complete the scoring and leave Kings reflecting on a third defeat in their last four league outings.

Kings Langley: Minter; Collins, Johnson, Adebiyi, K Connolly; Hitchcock (Lamboh 72); Williams, Parkes, Collier (Anderson 46), Farrell (Linsell); Weiss. Sub not used: Coldicott-Stevens.