Reed is left disappointed after Leighton draw

Leighton's Lynton Goss battles for possession against Kings Langley. Photo: Andrew Parker.

Paul Reed felt his Leighton Town deserved more than a point from their game with Kings Langley on Saturday which ended in a 2-2 draw.

The Reds led the game twice thanks to goals from Jack Sayell and Tolu Ikuyinmyu but the visitors bounced back to level with 18 minutes left and take a share of the spoils.

And speaking to the club’s media after the game, Reed said the overriding feeling was one of disappointment.

He said: “I was happy with the performance for large spells of the game but am disappointed with the result.

"We let Kings Langley off the hook really as we created so many good chances with players getting in the right areas and some of what we’d worked on in training coming to the fore which was really positive.

"I thought we were excellent in the first-half both in and out of possession given the way we pressed and chased and closed down spaces and the way we retained the ball at the right times and then got forward and broke the lines.

"We created a clear vision as to how we were going to win the game but we just didn’t put the chances away and when you come in at half-time and it’s 1-0 and you know you’ve dominated, the message was quite simple really – to do it again, finish the game and be more clinical and be more ruthless.

"I thought we were a bit flat at the start of the second-half, I’m not sure why, and seemed to lack the belief we could go and do it. Fair play to Kings Langley who changed shape and went more direct, throwing more bodies forward, got the penalty to make it 1-1 and then we’re looking to reset and get the players’ mindset that there was still plenty of time to win the game.

“A great bit of play from Tolu got us back in front but I was a bit disappointed with how we then managed that situation and two could have become three or four if we’d been a bit more clinical, but it didn’t happen for us and the way we defended our box for their second goal was disappointing.

“But I’m delighted with how we’re going forward because I feel if we play like that each week, more often than not we’ll win games. But the game is won and lost in both penalty areas and that’ll be the focal point going into Saturday.”

This weekend sees Leighton travel to Welwyn Garden City who lie just outside the play-off places, with Leighton themselves now four points outside the relegation zone.