Ex-Hatters keeper Craig King scores last minute equaliser for Hemel and saves a penalty during FA Trophy shoot-out victory over Linnets

Former Luton keeper Craig King scored a last-minute equaliser and then saved a penalty as Hemel Hempstead defeated King’s Lynn Town in their FA Trophy second round tie on Saturday.

The 25-year-old left Kenilworth Road in the summer of 2017 following four first team outings, taking a break from professional football after bravely admitting a long-running battle with depression.

He came back into the game with Oxford City and has also had a spell with Dartford, before moving to the Tudors in January 2022 after a successful loan spell.

The visitors had the first chance when another ex-Hatter, Jernade Meade, was clear, but home stopper Paul Jones saved well.

King was called into action twice, before being beaten on 13 minutes when Ken Charles drove the ball home after a cross wasn’t dealt with.

Gold Omotayo brought another fine stop from King, while the second period saw Charles hammer against the crossbar and then head narrowly wide.

Hemel could have levelled when Florent Bojat was off target, but as the game ticked into stoppage time, the final seconds saw King sent up for a late corner and he rose above the home defence to head home the equaliser.

With the game going straight to penalties, King pulled off a save in the shoot-out to send his side through to the third round with a 5-4 success.

Speaking to the Tudors official Twitter page afterwards, King said: "This was probably the hardest draw we could have got away from home, they’re unbeaten here all season in the league

"We stuck at it, there were tough times, we showed determination to keep the ball out and we showed we weren't going to give up, and that's the thing I'm happiest about.

"It’s all fun and games me scoring and save the penalty but you enjoy playing in the team when they putting bodies on the line and we’re not giving up.

"There was a corner in the 90th minute that I asked to go up for and they said no and then he put it front post.

"I knew I was going up for the next one because I knew exactly where it was going and I knew I was going to put it in the net, so happy days.

"I'm going to keep on talking about that for a long time."