SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
LANGFORD 0 LONDON LIONS 4

London Lions put last week’s defeat at Bedford firmly behind them, bagging another impressive win on Saturday in a dominant 4-0 victory at Langford returning to the top of Spartan South Mindlands Division One League.

The first chance of a bright afternoon came with a dozen or so minutes on the clock and it went the way of the away side as the experienced Sam Sloma slotted a through ball into the path of Adam Bolle, but the usually clinical frontman saw his effort to drag the ball around the keeper clutched from his feet.

Lions needed to remain patient and continue to match Langford’s over-zealous physical approach to the game at times. With around 25 minutes on the clock that patience was rewarded with a breakthrough as Tony Gold’s men went 1-0 up. Josh Kennet’s corner found Craig Ellis who lost his marker to head home.

Bolle almost doubled that lead four minutes later but saw his shot fizz just past the post. Dean Nyman then went close just before half-time but his double effort was somehow kept out thanks to some fantastic goalkeeping as he made one save with his legs before getting up to clear the rebound.

The men in blue controlled the best part of the half and so it would have been against the run of play that Langford levelled on the stoke of half-time, however, as Mario Cenolli saved well from a good shot just outside the 18-yard box to keep hold of the 1-0 lead.

Before the half drew to a close there were two further fine chances for Lions to extend their lead but, first, Bolle found Langford’s no. 1 in fine form once again as he kept out the striker’s effort and further on, he blasted over the bar from 10 yards when well positioned.

The second half would be 10 minutes old by the time Langford’s keeper was beaten again and it was a great effort from Sloma to make it 2-0 as he collected Bolle’s pass superbly, taking another touch before launching the ball across goal and into the back of the net.

Lions were relentless and on 72 minutes it was 3-0 as Nyman scored at the second opportunity after seeing his initial shot saved.

It was four on 84 minutes and it was the deadly Kennet who scored it. Not known for his goal-scoring prowess, the man-of-the-match found space and time to unleash an unstoppable rasping shot that Langford’s keeper could only watch and admire as it flew past him into the empty net.

The win saw Lions move back on top of the table with other results around them going their way.

Lions manager Gold said: "The team showed good character today following last weeks horror show. We had a couple of our big influencial players back and that always helps.

"That was our first clean sheet since December 15 and I think that speaks volumes about how inconsistent we have been since the turn of the new year.

"However, we are now back on top of the league and we are going to fight hard to make sure we stay there."

Lions: Mario Cenolli, Andy Glynne, Guy Morris, Michael Sacks (sub: Danny Berg), Josh Kennet, Daniel Stanton, Sam Sloma (sub: Aron Barnes), Craig Ellis, David Souter, Adam Bolle, Dean Nyman (sub: Ben Ellis)

Scorers: Kennet

Man-of-the-match: Josh Kennet