Petersfield Town 0 Kings Langley 1: KINGS Langley claimed the Division 1 Central title during an afternoon filled with tension and drama at Love Lane on Saturday.

If it had been the Premier League title up for grabs and the Sky Sports cameras cutting back and forth as things unfolded at Petersfield and in the game between Royston Town and Egham Town, fans and pundits alike would have been talking about this particular afternoon for years to come.

Kings Langley had a two point lead at the top of the division before kick-off but with the second and third placed teams playing each other and both having a better goal difference, one slip from the Hertfordshire club and their dreams of winning their third title in a row would have been in tatters.

Quiet nervousness descended over Love Lane during the first 45 minutes and both games reached half time still goalless, something which added to the tension even more.

The title race really sprung into life early in the second half though. Royston were reduced to ten men and minutes later Egham took the lead and if things stayed as they were at that point, they would go on to claim top spot.

But then the situation changed rapidly again. The silence was broken at Petersfield by the cheers of the Kings Langley followers reacting to the news that Royston had scored an equaliser.

The away side had one hand back on the championship at that point and then two minutes later they put a second hand firmly on their prize and sparked an explosion of emotion at Love Lane when Mitchell Weiss netted the goal that would make them champions.

The visitors comfortably saw out the final 18 minutes of the match and the full time whistle sparked wild celebrations among the travelling contingent while Petersfield’s players, officials and supporters looked on.

The game itself was instantly forgettable for both sides and it is not one which will linger in the memory banks of either team.

Gary Norgate had two early chances for Petersfield when his shot was deflected over the top and from the corner he headed over from in front of goal.

A free kick for Petersfield was headed back across goal and just as it looked like a home player would react quickest and turn the ball over the line, a Kings Langley defender blocked the ball and it was cleared to safety.

The visitors came into the game more as the half wore on and after 24 minutes Weiss dribbled the ball along the byline from the left and Rams keeper Anthony Ender blocked his shot with his outstretched leg.

Five minutes before half time David Hutton tried his luck from a similar position on the left hand side of the box after Petersfield failed to clear their lines and Ender managed to get his hand to the fierce shot and tipped it on to the outside of the post.

On 58 minutes after a short round of header tennis on the left hand edge of the Petersfield penalty area the visitors got the ball down and worked it to Weiss on the right hand side of the box and he hit a low shot across Ender but wide of the target.

The defining moment came on 72 minutes when Weiss latched on to a through ball between two defenders and he ran on with the ball into the penalty area before hitting a low shot past Ender and into the far corner of the net.

That moment sparked delirium among the travelling support and once their excitement subsided, for the first time all afternoon they could comfortably enjoy the 18 minute countdown before they could call themselves Division 1 Central champions.

Petersfield: Ender, O Searle (Eaton), Wain, Briggs, Hyde (Needham), Ford, Richardson, Giles, Sackman, Norgate (Geddes), J Neal. Subs not used: Saunders, Neighbour.