Lewis Toomey scores Saints opening goal
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Curtis Ujah rescued a Southern League point for St Albans City four minutes into added time on Saturday as the Saints kicked off their Premier Division campaign with a frustrating 2-2 draw at the Spencer Stadium home of Banbury United.
A point apiece was probably a just outcome to a match that St Albans controlled rather than dominated for long stretches while the Puritans may feel that they could, and possibly should, have secured all three points with a dramatic fightback that was only thwarted by Ujah’s timely strike.
City went into the match as second favourites for the title according to the bookies but showed little to live up to such a lofty billing, an excessive reliance of the long ball from the back when there was plenty of ball-playing talent in midfield only played in Banbury’s hands.
Even so, City did look the more comfortable of the two sides but the falling away late in the game stirred memories of last season when David Howell’s side failed to win 11 games after opening the scoring.
The visitors were the quicker of the two sides to settle and within two minutes Sean Shields tested home keeper Matt Finlay with a firm but straight drive.
At the opposite end of the pitch Nick Jupp first saw action on seven minutes when a Josh O’Grady free kick deflected off Ryan Watts and the City keeper had to change direction swiftly to beat the ball out for a corner.
From the ensuing corner City enjoyed a large slice of good fortune as Ricky Johnson headed in Ben Polk’s set piece only for the goal to be disallowed for an alleged foul on Jupp who, in fact, appeared to be holding the United player in front of him.
Moments later a Jack Ashton free kick was headed onto the top of the City crossbar with the dropping ball bouncing off Ujah for a corner.
City striker Lewis Toomey maintained the promise shown in pre-season and kept the home defence busy although he did squander several chances while an audacious long range Polk free kick dropped just over the crossbar as Jupp retreated.
Shields, who flitted in and out of the game but provided a genuine threat when running at the United defence, put one shot wide after cutting inside and set up the debut making Barry Hayles whose shot was blocked by Liam Dolman.
St Albans had another let-off when Jason Lee met a deep corner only for his header was blocked by the raised arm of Hayles but a penalty was not forthcoming.
As the interval loomed the game began to drift only for St Albans to snatch the lead 15 seconds into added time.
Chris Seeby launched the ball down the Saints right flank, Hayles glanced a header through to Toomey who, deep inside the penalty area showed great composure in shooting low past Finlay.
Shields won City’s first corner of the game three minutes into the second period but Finlay gathered the cross comfortably while Jupp survived an anxious moment when he was challenged by Johnson for a bouncing ball on the edge of the penalty area, the ball ricocheted loose to Aaron Woodley whose shot drifted away from goal.
The possibility of further goals faded as the game wore on with Banbury offering little threat and City seemingly content with what they had.
But the outcome twisted on the back of three substitutions. United found new life with the introduction of Ade Talabi and Nick Kingston while City lost the tiring David Ijaha, who was replaced by Gareth Risbridger.
The Puritans gave a taster of what was to come when a positive run by Polk led to a shot by O’Grady being deflected into the path of Johnson whose effort across Jupp went narrowly wide.
On 80 minutes Johnson’s persistence was rewarded following the most incisive move of the match.
Polk played a forward ball to Talabi down the Banbury left and from his perfect cross Johnson nipped in front of Danny Gordon to send a well placed header to the left of the helpless Jupp.
Four minutes later Polk powered his way into the penalty area only for his rising shot to be palmed over by the now busy Jupp.
To their credit Banbury continued to push for a winner and it seemed as though Ady Fuller’s side would start the season with three points when Johnson, following a Polk free kick, looped a header over Jupp for the second Puritans goal.
But Fuller, having made two good substitutions earlier in the half, possibly blundered when he replaced his goalscoring striker and the rousing send off given by the home supporters quickly turned to dismay when Johnson’s tall presence was not in the home penalty area when City won a free kick deep into added time.
Richard Graham curled the ball towards the penalty area, Gordon was just unable to reach the cross but the ball bounced off home midfielder Adam Confue into the path of Ujah who hammered a right-footed shot past Finlay’s despairing dive. |