Southern Premier League Southern Division

Kings Langley 3 - 0 Beaconsfield Town

Rams Man of the Match - Louis Stead

A casual assessment of the highlights would suggest a comfortable victory for Kings

Langley. Two goals to the good after 17 minutes and running out eventual 3-0 winners suggests a routine affair. There was much more to this game, though, as, having started on the front foot and cruising through the opening 20 minutes the home side carried little threat for the remainder of the first half and much of the second period as a spluttering misfiring Beaconsfield struggled to get a foothold in the game and saw decisions go against them every time they thought they had. 

The visitors couldn’t have scripted a worse start to proceedings. Reece Yorke, already struggling with a suspected groin injury, had no answer for the pace of Mitchell Weiss and as early as the fourth minute the big striker breezed through and flashed a cross-shot in off Nick Hamann’s far post.

Twelve minutes later it was 2-0. A freekick from the left was swung in towards the near post where home captain Jorell Johnson, having slipped the attentions of his marker, was first to the ball and toe ended it past Hamann.

Reece Yorke was then withdrawn and replaced by Callum Webb. Jordan Ajanlekoko slotted in at centre half whilst Louis Stead moved in off the wing to operate alongside Wes Daly in the heart of midfield and The Rams began to spark into life with Charlie Losasso seeing a dipping shot tipped onto a post and another volleyed effort skimming the cross bar. 

From that point until King’s Langley sealed the result with their third the afternoon became more about the officiating than anything else.

Beaconsfield had two presentable penalty claims. One in either half. On 40 minutes the first, a clumsy challenge on Callum Webb, resulted in Referee Shaun Barry adding insult to injury by booking Webb for a dive, then awarding, not a free kick but a Beaconsfield throw in. In the second half, shortly after replacing Wes Daly, Aaron Minhas, making a welcome return following six months on the sidelines, appeared to be pulled down by Alex

Tokarczyk plunging at the midfielders feet before taking man and no ball. Mr Barry was unmoved but clearly felt that there was no simulation. So what he thought happened is best left to him.

Moments later, in the 73rd minute a perfectly good Marvin Morgan goal was ruled out

despite the fact that he had not been in an offside position at any point or passage of the play prior to climbing high to power his header home.

Three minutes later the home side sealed the points as Jordan Ajanlekoko dwelt in possession, took an extra touch and had his attempted pass charged down by midfielder  Dylan Swathers. The rebound fell kindly and he advanced on goal calmly rounding Nick Hamann and stroking in the home sides third. The goal capped an excellent individual performance by Switters who was industrious and combative throughout and showed good touch and skill under pressure all afternoon.  

Even after Kings Langley’s third there was still time for the officials to compound the visitors woes. First, Luke Neville was adjudged offside as he headed home, alone at the far post watched by a static home defence. There’s no doubt there was yard or so of daylight when ball met forehead but as his run began just outside Hemel Hempstead and the ball travelled crossfield 40 yards through the air it’s hard for anyone with the possible exception of Mr Potter from Peterborough to believe he was offside at the time the ball was played.

In fairness Potter was consistent as he managed to chalk off Marvin Morgan’s earlier effort too. Perhaps Quidditch is more his thing?

Then in the final moments Mr Barry produced a second yellow and subsequent red card for the unlucky Marvin Morgan. The Earls Barton official deciding that a challenge with home goalkeeper Alex Tokarczyk  - which Morgan actually won before being kicked -  was worthy of not only a free kick in the other direction but a second caution. He took the view, wrongly, that Morgan had gone through the keeper however it was quite clear that

Morgan’s outstretched foot made contact with the ball before the marooned keeper kicked the soul of the striker’s boot.

It would be unfair on the home side to place the responsibility for the result squarely in the hands of the Officials. Their opening quarter was assured and controlled and they were well worthy of their early advantage before Beaconsfield re-organised and got to grips with the game. Equally Beaconsfield will reasonably feel that their effort, endeavour and improved quality deserved some reward. 

Unfortunately though It’s hard not to conclude that a better standard of officiating would have resulted in a much more entertaining and competitive spectacle.With no away win in four months and only one victory in 2019 The Rams will be looking for their own improvements to avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight. 

Beaconsfield Town   1.  Nick Hamman 2.  Omar Vassell 3.  Mayowa Balogun 4.  Reece Yorke (Sub 17 Callum Webb) 5.  Luke Neville 6.  Wes Daly © (Sub 15 Aaron Minhas 64) 7.  Louis Stead 8.  Jordan Ajanlekoko 9.   Brendan Matthew (Sub 17 Marvin Morgan 45) 10. Charlie Losasso 11. Thomas Gogo   Subs Not Used: 14: Dan Brown 15: Jon-Jo Bates   Manager: Gary Meakin

Kings Langley   1.  Alex Tokaczyk      2.  Junior Osborne (Sub 12 Dean Hitchcock 81)     3.  Charley O’Keefe 4.  Jorell Johnson ©      5.  Callum Abdebiyi     6.  Dylan Swathers 7.  Stevie Ward (Sub15 Josh Coldicott Stevens 77)  8.  Jacob Cook 9.   Rene Howe (Sub 17 Louie Collier 90) 10. Mitchell Weiss  11. Andronicos Georgiou   Subs Not Used: 14. Josh Coldicott-Stevens 15. Louie Collier Manager: Steve Conroy

Ref: Mr Shaun Barry Assistants: Mr Dean Carney - Mr Oliver Potter  Att:234