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19.01.2008 at 15:00 Silverlake Stadium Attendance : 609
Eastleigh
1 - 1
St Albans City
Referee : Constantine Hatzidakis (SE9) Blue Square South

Goalscorers
Andy Fordes (34) Simon Martin (58)
Opening squads
James Pullen
Chris Piper
Adam Everitt
Anthony Riviere �
Warren Goodhind
Luke Byles
Matt Hann
Andy Forbes
Ashan Holgate
David Hughes
Mark Marshall
Nick Eyre
Dean Cracknell
Scott Cousins
Marcel McKie
Ben Martin
Ryan Frater
James Quilter
Simon Martin
Lee Clarke
Hamsa Twomey
Hasim Deen
Substitutes
Karim El Salahi
Fitzroy Simpson
Peter Adeniyi
Jamie Brown
Gareth Howells
Richard Butler
James Archer
Alex Olcott
Daniel Demetriou
Jamie Wakem
Substitutions
Peter Adeniyi -> Ashan Holgate (74)
Jamie Brown -> David Hughes (74)
Jamie Wakem -> Hamsa Twomey (76)
Richard Butler -> Lee Clarke (76)
James Archer -> Simon Martin (90)
Yellow cards
Adam Everitt (14)
Luke Byles (68)
Scott Cousins (8)
Ryan Frater (45)
Ben Martin (61)
Lee Clarke (72)
Dean Cracknell (90)
Red cards
None Ben Martin (78)
Match report
ST ALBANS CITY’s dire disciplinary record suffered further damage at Stoneham Lane on Saturday but City had cause for mild celebration as a Simon Martin goal during his 200th game for the Saints salvaged their first Blue Square South point since the turn of the year with a 1-1 draw against Eastleigh.
Despite having eight players out either through suspension or injury, St Albans were good value for their point which was achieved with just ten players for the latter stages following the 78th minute dismissal of central defender Ben Martin following ill-advised comments to referee Constantine Hatzidakis, having earlier been booked for a foul on Eastleigh striker Ashan Holgate.
In addition to Martin’s two bookings the Saints, just two days after a visit to the F.A. to explain their shocking disciplinary record to the end of October, collected four other bookings and now face their third fine of £500 or more this season after receiving six yellow cards in one game.
In defence of the Saints, the performance of referee Hatzidakis left a lot to be desired with the south London official waving his cards eight times in a match of just 22 free kicks for fouls.
City welcomed back Hasim Deen to the defence and Dean Cracknell returned to the midfield after rejoining the club from Hemel Hempstead. Both players made a significant contribution in a game of few chances but one that offered some encouragement for the visitors who move off the bottom of the table due to Sutton United’s defeat at Fisher Athletic.
The hosts kicked off with former Saint Chris Piper on the left of the midfield and Matt Hann, a £6,000 signing from St Albans in September, on the right. The opening half was a low-key affair with both sides mustering just a single shot on target each.
A fine piece of defending by Scott Cousins got the ball away for a corner on 21 minutes after Hann put Holgate through the middle and his touch took the ball wide of the advancing Eyre.
City responded with Simon Martin latching onto a headed through ball from James Quilter but in stretching to shoot had his low effort easily gathered by home keeper James Pullen. The Spitfires, however, took full advantage of their one clear opening on 34 minutes. Luke Byles seized on a loose ball from Cracknell and fed Andy Forbes who turned Ben Martin in the penalty area before firing a right-footed effort across Nick Eyre for the opening goal.
Eastleigh switched Hann and the more dangerous Mark Marshall for the second period and it proved to be a move that actually favoured the Saints as Marshall endured a far less productive second 45 minutes. Even so, the Spitfires started the half positively but were rocked when City drew level on 58 minutes.
Marcel McKie glanced on a long Eyre goal kick with Clarke taking up possession and sliding a pass up to Simon Martin in the left hand side of the Eastleigh penalty area. In an almost identical move to his goal the previous week, Martin cut inside and clipped a right-footed shot into the centre of Pullen’s goal – his 73rd goal in 200 games for the club.
Never again were Eastleigh to regain their earlier composure and a City victory was a distinct possibility. Cracknell, collecting a headed clearance from Ben Martin, superbly rode two challenges and sent Hamza Twomey away but after cutting into the penalty area the teenager was smartly tackled by Adam Everitt.
City were presented with a golden opportunity to maintain their winning record at the Silverlake Stadium on 70 minutes when Cracknell won the ball off Everitt and exchanged passes with Clarke before laying a square ball along the edge of the penalty area to the unmarked Simon Martin, unfortunately Martin chose to shoot early and put a tame effort through to Pullen.
Although looking a side well below their early season promise as promotion hopefuls, Eastleigh had chances late on. Marshall, set up by Hann, had a shot that deflected over the visitors goal while Forbes saw his shot from 20 yards charged down with Eyre getting down quickly to smother Hann’s follow up effort.
Play was then called back while Ben Martin was sent packing for suggesting the referee should go elsewhere after failing to spot an infringement on the towering defender. From the subsequent free kick, played short by Forbes, Marshall fired high and wide.
Three minutes from time Hatzidakis, after being called over by one of his linesmen following comments from Spitfires manager Ian Baird, incorrectly sent the Eastleigh coach, Paul Doswell, to the stands. Baird was also removed from the dugout during Eastleigh’s previous match with Bath City.
City’s ill-discipline is again going to cause selection problems for caretaker manager Steve Castle as suspension will rule out Ben Martin, Cracknell and Clarke for the home match with Maidenhead United on 2nd February, Paul Bruce will also still be suspended for that match.

Report by Dave Tavener