An improved second-half display fuelled hopes that a difficult period has been negotiated and better times are ahead for Kings Langley after they were beaten 2-0 at Tamworth.

A trip to the Southern League Premier Central leaders was always going to a difficult ask for a Kings side in transition and still contending with a lengthy injury list.

The visiting fans would have been fearing the worst when the Lambs took a seventh-minute lead, but Chris Cummins’ side rode their luck at times to get through to the break without conceding any further goals.

The visitors then asked some questions of their own after the break and it took until the 75th minute for Tamworth to gain the comfort of a second goal.

A Louie Collier inswinging cross had caused the home side some early concern when it ran along the crossbar, but midfielder Bilal Yafai’s fairly ordinary shot found its way past a hesitant defence and keeper Melvin Minter to give the home side the lead minutes later.

Minter then denied Daniel Creaney with a fine tip round the post as Tamworth continued to press, but the visitors finally found some answers on the quarter-of-an-hour mark with a Callum Adebiyi header just wide and a similar effort from Stevie Ward after Collier had delivered a good cross while under pressure.

These were merely interludes as Minter pulled off another fine save from home skipper Ryan Beswick and desperate defending cleared the ball off the line after it had hit the inside of the post.

Saul Williams, making his debut after an exchange deal the previous day had seen Max Hercules travel the other way to Berkhamsted, provided the only other effort of the half on target, his header comfortably taken by Jasbir Singh.

The second period began in similar fashion, Tamworth slicing through the Kings ranks, but suddenly the tide turned and a different looking Langley side had far the better of the next 20 minutes, creating several opportunities, the best of which was a Kane Farrell free-kick inches over and a Mitchell Weiss shot blocked at the last minute.

But Tamworth, proving to be the best team Kings have faced this season, showed their class by absorbing the pressure and then counter-punching with a Tyrell Waite goal slipped home from a free-kick with 15 minutes to go.

The visitors still refused to give up the cause and reverted to matching their opponents in everything apart from finishing as full-backs Alex Anderson and Farrell made several penetrating runs and crosses that front men Weiss and Williams were just unable to convert.

Kings Langley: Minter; Anderson, Johnson, Adebiyi, Farrell; Collins, Hitchcock (Lamboh 81); Collier (Coldicott-Stevens 70), Williams, Ward; Weiss. Sub not used: Linsell.