King is crowned as Hartley boss (From Basingstoke Gazette)

King is crowned as Hartley boss

8:00am Saturday 30th January 2010 in

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LOUIS King is the new boss at Hartley Wintney after Pete Gray stood down as manager of the village side for personal reasons, having guided the club into second spot in the Combined Counties League division one.

Gray said: “I have not made this decision lightly, but I can’t expect commitment from players if I am unable to commit as well.”

“I will continue to help out if and when I can and feel the team are in a great position to achieve promotion.”

Chairman Luke Mullen added his praise for the former boss and said: “We thank Pete for all the work he has done for this club.”

“We have given Louis the job as he worked with Pete all season as his assistant.”

The new man at the helm is looking forward to completing the job of promotion.

“I have leant so much from Pete during this season and I am sorry to see him go, but I ready for the challenge.

“We have a great team spirit at the club and I am looking forward to Saturday’s game, which is going to be tough,” he said.

King will have a baptism of fire as his side travel to Staines Lammas, one of their promotion rivals, for a game which has a 2pm kick-off.

Last Saturday, former boss Gray signed off with a 1-0 victory over local rivals Frimley Green, as Jermaine Hamilton scored the winner on 12 minutes, beating former Basingstoke Town goalkeeper Scott Tarr.

Hartley had Adam Theo sent-off for violent conduct after he pulled away the arm of an opponent who was holding him.

Then, with five minutes left in the game, Craig Christian looked set to make it 2-0, before being brought down.

The defender who fouled him was booked and, in the melee that followed, another Frimley player was booked, only for the referee to realise the first player had already been booked – so he received a red card.

Arguments continued, with the Frimley boss and assistant being sent from the dug-out, along with a Hartley sub.