Kings Langley 1 Sun Sports 2                            1969/70                          Aubrey Cup

Daring Rose stops a Sun riot

A goal by Brian Smith seven minutes from the end of extra time gave Sun Sports a thoroughly deserved victory over Kings Langley in their Aubrey Cup quarter final at home Park on Saturday.
Only some magnificent goalkeeping by Brian Rose and the woodwork on two occasions prevented Sun winning by a huge margin as they dominated the play throughout.
Tony Faux and Paul Froud were commanding in midfield and Smith and Colin Brown were constant dangers to the home defence although the former intended to hold the ball too long.
Langley - last week's heroes against Marconi - had little to offer besides Rose's brilliant goalkeeping, yet when Chris Howe shot them into a 60th minute lead they looked set to record a travesty of justice.
With the balding Brown showing deceptive speed and a useful shot, and with Faux and Smith peppering the Langley goal with goal-worthy shots, the first half was a battle between the Sun attack and the brave Rose.
He saved superbly from Smith (three times), Brown (three times), and Faux, while a good effort by full back John Low whistled just past a post.
A splendid move involving Brown, Smith and Barry Langdale should have given Sun a 37th minute lead but Brown's final shot struck an upright after beating Rose for once.
Langley's only noteworthy reply in a one sided opening half was a Bobby Sealey free kick that just missed the target.
Too often Howe was left to fight a one man battle against a well marshalled visiting defence.
The early stages of the second half saw Langley improve slightly but it came as a surprise when Howe shot them ahead after a long goal kick by Rose had split the Sun defence.
Sun continued to dictate but Rose excelled in the mud.
He saved well from Eddy Rolfe and Smith but was thankful for a goal line clearance by Barry Willis from a Smith power drive.
The visitors were rewarded for their incessant pressure in the 75th minute when a Faux header from a Rolfe cross hit the bar and rebounded to Langdale who headed a simple equaliser.
The closing minutes of normal time and the early stages of extra time saw Rose again thwart the Sun attack with some splendid saves but even he was beaten by a Brown shot that again rebounded from an upright.
With such luck Langley seemed capable of forcing an undeserved replay but in the 113th minute they cracked.
Brown disrupted the home defence with a superb cross field pass to Smith.
The centre forward cut in towards goal and unleashed a powerful shot  that Rose could only help into the net.
It was tough luck on Rose who was undoubtedly the man of the match but Sun were through to the semi finals on merit.