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24.02.2004 at 19:45 Clarence Park
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Attendance : 144
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St Albans City
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0 - 3
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Basingstoke Town
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Referee : Ian Scarr
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Ryman Premier League match
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None. |
Craig McAllister (31)
Sergio Raul Torres (42)
Craig McAllister (85) |
Steve Watts has a shot at goal
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St Albans City’s two match unbeaten mini revival – frighteningly their best Ryman League run for almost four months – came to a shuddering halt at a cold, wet Clarence Park on Tuesday night as Basingstoke Town matched their biggest ever win against the lowly Saints.
But the scoreline does not tell the whole story, for Steve Castle’s struggling side certainly bossed the opening half hour only for inept finishing to be fully exposed by Stoke’s clinical shooting from limited opportunities. City really ought to have been a couple of goals to the good before Craig McAllister scored the first of his brace on 31 minutes but once behind St Albans seldom looked capable of staving off their 16th Premier Division defeat of the season.
Saints went into the game minus the suspended duo of Castle and Derek Brown which paved the way for the return of Chris Seeby and Richard Thomas – both in midfield with Miguel De Souza dropping into the backline – while Steve Watts replaced the released Harry Willis in attack.
In front of what is thought to be the lowest ever attendance for an Isthmian League match at the Park, City began in positive, determined and confident mood as they attacked the York Road end most encouragingly.
On four minutes teenager Michael Shinn sent a sweetly struck 25 yard effort a couple of yards over Scott Tarr’s goal while a minute later a Corey Campbell header into the goalmouth following a Gary Wraight corner had to be scrambled clear as City pushed for an early breakthrough.
The pressure continued with Tarr fumbling around the post a long range effort from Thomas but City hopes were dashed on 20 minutes when De Souza neatly headed down a Dave Sargent corner to Lee Clarke which the 20-year old somehow skied over the bar from barely six yards out.
Basingstoke first threatened three minutes later when an excellent flowing move ended with former Saint Neville Roach shooting just wide. But there was no escape for City on 31 minutes when McAllister, receiving a pass from Roach on the halfway line, neatly turned two City defenders before running through to shoot low past George Clark
Nine minutes later City were undone for a second time when the highly impressive pony-tailed Argentinean midfielder Sergio Raul Torres exchanged passes with Roach on the edge of the penalty area before having a shot blocked, Torres was quickly onto the rebound to slide it past Clark from wide of the goal.
Wraight, following a good ball from Thomas, should have reduced the arrears just before the break and it was a goal City most definitely needed. Without it they came out for the second half lacking in confidence and it was only in the latter stages that Basingstoke’s desire to record a sixth successive clean sheet came into question.
The Hampshire club were fortunate not to have Steve Hemmings dismissed for a deliberate handball on 71 minutes, the offence appeared to be well inside the penalty area but referee Ian Scarr gave the free kick – which came to nothing – outside the box. City’s last real hope of salvaging anything from the game disappeared when Watts matched Clark’s first half glaring miss by drilling over from close in.
Five minutes from time Stoke showed no such generosity and when Toby Sumner crossed when virtually penned in by the corner flag McAllister was afforded all the space in the world to head his 20th goal of the season past the unaided Clark. City were denied even a consolation when Sargent did well to retrieve a seemingly lost cause and get the ball back to Watts whose header bounced to safety off Tarr’s right hand post.
Report by Dave Tavener |
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