Kings Langley return home to face Needham Market tonight after a fifth successive away game garnered no reward as hosts Tamworth went top of the league following a 3-0 victory on Saturday.

In truth, apart from some questionable refereeing decisions, Kings could have few complaints about the outcome. Tamworth were the more incisive throughout and although their opponents played some enterprising football on occasion, they made little headway against a resolute home defence.

Kings were behind as early as the nionth minute when Jamie Jellis, in an unfamiliar wing back position, was adjudged to have handballed just inside the box. Prolific marksman Dan Creaney duly converted the resultant penalty with ease.

Langley almost levelled just minutes later when superb interplay between Noyan Tajbakhsh, Harry Crawford and Alex Lafleur saw the former head just over from Lafleur’s searching cross.

The near miss heralded an instant response from the hosts when Luke Fairlamb’s deft through ball found Alex Jones. The striker’s fierce drive was brilliantly parried by Haf Al-Droubi but the predatory Creaney was on hand to sweep home the rebound to put the home side 2-0 up after 19 minutes.

Kings pressed hard to reduce the arrears and Jellis was unlucky when he skilfully brought down Jaden Ogwuazor’s through ball and lobbed over the advancing Jasbir Singh into the net only to be marginally denied by the offside flag.

Moments later, Creaney netted a similarly executed lob but once again the linesman’s’ intervention ruled the effort out for offside.

The visitors introduced Wilson Carvalho for his league debut early in the second period and with his first touch he prompted a smart save from Singh with a crisp low drive.

Kings were showing plenty of attacking intent at this stage, but the hosts were in no mood to relinquish their advantage and always looked dangerous on the counter.

The introduction of Cain Keller and his forward runs gave some cause for optimism but the Lambs’ defence was still proving a tough nut to crack and as the half wore on, one or two robust challenges were in evidence.

After a seemingly double whammy against two Kings players in succession without sanction from the referee, a frustrated James Mulley was adjudged to have committed his second cautionable offence, reducing the visitors to ten men for what little time remained.

Mulley’s departure prompted the home side to indulge themselves with a fitting finale when in added time Matt Curley’s low cross was rifled home by the inrushing Ty Deacon to seal the victory.

The defeat leaves Kings ninth in the Southern League Premier Central table, four places but just a single point behind tonight’s opponents.