St Albans City’s autumnal fall continued on Tuesday as Spartan South Midlands League side Broxbourne Borough V&E added to the Saints growing problems with a gutsy 2-1 Herts Senior Cup victory at a virtually deserted Clarence Park.
City manager David Howell fielded a side that looked strong enough to see off opposition from two rungs further down the football ladder but other than for a late rally this was another desperately poor display that extended the Saints recent record to just one win in the last nine games.
Howell admitted that several players looking to establish themselves in the side failed to do so but he was delighted with the form of teenage substitutes Michael Lewis and Miles Scott.
Scott, making his First team debut, is a member of the City midweek youth side that has started the season in spectacular fashion while Lewis made a handful of promising appearance in the First team towards the end of last season.
Broxbourne, sitting in mid-table in the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League, settled quickly but City were unfortunately not to be ahead on 15 minutes when a Jerome Walker cross was deflected to Sean Shields who struck Ed Thompson’s left hand upright with a fine effort from 25 yards.
Four minutes later a flowing move involving John Sonuga, Shields and Sakho Bakare ended with Danny Hart putting the ball into the York Road net but the former Barnet player had carelessly strayed into an offside position.
Jake Pattison, in good form for the City Reserves in recent weeks, was penalised by referee Anthony Serrano following a tackle on the edge of the home penalty area on 28 minutes with his plea that he played the ball falling on deaf ears.
Chris Doyle swept the resulting to Will Viner’s left and despite the keeper getting both hands to the ball Broxbourne took the lead.
City’s failure to pull level by the interval had much to do with the dominance of the Borough defenders, particularly captain Leon Skinner, as they cut out a succession of low quality City crosses.
That said Thompson had a couple of anxious moments in dealing with dangerous balls into the box from Walker while Nathan Haisley lashed a shot high over the target and Bakare, following a low Pattison cross, sent an over-head kick sailing off into the park.
Lewis Collins should have doubled the visitor’s lead on the stroke of half time but after racing clear of the City defence sent a tame effort well wide of Viner’s goal.
St Albans began the second half positively with efforts from Bakare and Shields while Bakare also headed the ball onto Tobi Jinadu whose careful goal-bound lob was hacked clear by Lee Bradshaw.
Viner had to be alert to tip over a cross-shot by Gabriel Akuwudike before Thompson was forced into making his first save on the hour when Sonuga sent an overhead kick into the middle of the penalty area where Jinadu’s soft header was saved by the keeper.
The pressure was maintained as Walker broke away down the City right with his low cross finding Bakare but again the excellent Skinner moved across to block the shot.
Just when Broxbourne looked to be struggling they scored, on 68 minutes, a quite brilliant counter-attacking second goal.
Dean Williams, whose vile language deserved stronger action than the finger wagging dished out by Mr Serrano, did well to beat Pattison to a loose ball ten yards inside the City half and sent Akuwudike racing down the Borough left.
Akuwudike got goal-side of Jinadu as he cut into the penalty area before firing powerfully to Viner’s right to complete a memorable goal.
Only a goalline clearance by Joakim Ehui denied Skinner a richly deserved goal before City reduced the deficit on 86 minutes.
Hart, having driven a free kick wildly out of the ground moments earlier, played a pass inside to Bakare who, with the aid of a kind deflection off the outstretched leg of Bradshaw, notched his seventh goal of the season.
Bakare was twice frustrated during added time as he had a fierce shot charged down by Kendall Allen and an overhead effort blocked in a crowded penalty area.
Viner added his not inconsiderable frame to the cause when moving forward for a couple of corners during added time but with Skinner continuing to rule the skies there was to be no fairytale ending for the City keeper.
The attendance was City’s lowest for a year – only 40 attended last year’s County Cup tie with Hatfield Town – with several complaining of having to pay full price to watch lower league opposition at the normal full First team price. |