Kings Langley were again left to lament what might have been as Ware came from behind to snatch a last-gasp 3-2 victory at the Orbital Fasteners Stadium.
There was little to separate the sides in Friday night’s Southern League Division One Central encounter and the pendulum swung on multiple occasions, with Kings first trailing before a Bradley Smith stunner and a Jake Anthony penalty gave them a 2-1 half-time lead.
But they couldn’t hold on in what has become a familiar tale for Jordan Parkes’ side of late and now find themselves winless in six matches.
There were impressive displays again from James Towell at right-back, showing his ability to fly up the flank and provide attacking support as well as defend his own territory, while leading goalscorer Smith added to his tally; his seventh of the season and a strike deserving of all three points alone.
The early stages were scrappy and after a couple of half chances flashed past the post from Towell and Mitchel Hahn at the other end, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock after 14 minutes with Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo slotting past Cian Moore after the ball rebounded his way from Towell’s defensive challenge.
The hosts were looking for a way back into the game, with a pair of Joshua Bryant corners causing some confusion, but they were perhaps guilty of forcing it, looking for the strike pair of Jake Anthony and Lance Williams to hold play up.
But it was something special that pulled them level in the 26th minute, with man of the moment Smith finding the top right corner with a powerful, swirling effort from the left-hand edge of the box to warm the fans on a freezing night.
With the half-time whistle seconds away from sounding, Towell arrived in trademark fashion in the right side of the penalty box and shifted smartly past his defender, who brought him down and gave Anthony the chance to send his side into the break with the lead.
He duly obliged, squeezing the spot-kick through the despairing hands of keeper Fred Burbidge down to his left hand side.
Kings nearly had another goal three minutes into the second period with a shot blocked after some good battling by Darnell Luke to retain possession and a neat team move resulting in a Bryant cross.
Ware then broke, with Johnny Allotey’s pull back causing problems but the hosts were able to get it away.
Declan Phillips fired over for the hosts before a huge double chance was squandered, with Williams heading onto the woodwork from a delightful Towell cross, while Phillips’ follow-up produced a fine save from Burbidge.
His opposite number, Moore, was then called into action as Samuel Mayuma raced through on goal – the Kings stopper thwarting him with a strong hand.
The game was opening up and the next goal felt crucial. Williams saw another shot blocked and when he was replaced by Lewis Duberry after 62 minutes, it remained 2-1.
However, Kings’ inability to score a third was to cost them with 13 minutes to go when Mayuma played a ball into the area which was eventually fired home by Theo Ofori.
Both sides were hunting a winner and Smith had a header routinely saved but there was agony for the hosts in the third minute of stoppage time as substitute George Ironton delighted the very vocal away following to snatch the points.
