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30.03.2013 at 15:00 War Memorial Athletic Ground Attendance : 469
Stourbridge
2 - 1
St Albans City
Referee : Craig Taylor (Wednesbury) Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division

Goalscorers
Ben Billingham (3)
Luke Benbow (47)
Greg Ngoyi (87)
Opening squads
Dean Coleman
Luke Benbow
Jamie Oliver
Paul McCone
Sean Geddes
Nathan Bennett
Pasul Lloyd
Leon Broadhurst
Ben Mackey
Ben Billingham
Drew Canavan
Nick Jupp
Joe Bruce
Ryan Wharton
Elliott Godfrey
Fabio Bufano
Richard Graham
Chris Henry
Curtis Shaw
Josh McLeod-Urquhart
James Comley
Greg Ngoyi
Substitutes
Jordan Fitzpatrick
Lee Osborne
James Dyson
Marvin Nisbett
Chris Knight
Myles Scott
Elliott Bailey
James Kaloczi
David Keenleyside
Brad Wadkins
Substitutions
Jordan Fitzpatrick -> Drew Canavan (79)
Chris Knight -> Ben Mackey (81)
Elliott Bailey -> Curtis Shaw (60)
Brad Wadkins -> Elliott Godfrey (68)
David Keenleyside -> James Comley (81)
Yellow cards
Sean Geddes (72)
Dean Coleman (87)
Elliott Bailey (71)
Chris Henry (88)
Red cards
None None.
Match report
St Albans City’s late run for a shot at the Southern League play-off places suffered a blow on Saturday as Stourbridge strengthened their own bid with a 2-1 victory in an uninspiring encounter at the War Memorial Athletic Ground.

The Glassboys scored a goal in the opening minutes of either half and St Albans, until Greg Ngoyi netted a late penalty, seldom appeared capable of overturning the deficit.

City’s 14th Premier Division defeat of the season – the same as the number lost during the whole of last season – left joint-manager James Gray to lay down a challenge for his side to win all of their remaining six games if they are to secure a play-off place.

The Saints included new signing Elliott Godfrey in their midfield after signing the former Watford youngster, now 30, on a dual registration agreement with Isthmian League side Wealdstone.

Stourbridge also made one change from their most recent league outing, a 5-0 thrashing of Weymouth, with leading goal scorer Luke Benbow returning in place of Jordan Fitzpatrick to score his 20th goal of the season.

The West Midlands side could hardly have made a better start when referee Craig Taylor appeared to harshly penalise City defender Joe Bruce for an alleged foul on Benbow right on the edge of the Saints penalty area.

Leon Broadhurst ran over the ball leaving Ben Billingham to curl a low left-footed shot wide of City’s five man wall and to the right of the sprawling Nick Jupp for his 14th goal of the season.

With less than three minutes played City were clearly in for a difficult afternoon.

But the Saints responded well with a long punt by Jupp being headed into the path of Elliott whose shot from an angle was pushed away for a corner by the fully extended Dean Coleman.

Chris Henry squandered a rushed half chance when scuffing a shot well wide after Coleman had miscued an attempted clearance and midway through the half James Comley slid a good ball up to Ngoyi whose first time shot was again well saved by the diving Glassboys keeper.

Jupp was next to shine when making a good save from Benbow and followed that by denying Ben Mackey when the former St Neots Town striker shot through the legs of Godfrey.

The City custodian further frustrated the Glassboys when diving to his right to palm away Nathan Bennett’s header from a Billingham corner.

But Jupp was finally beaten for a second time just over a minute after the restart when City conceded possession weakly and Benbow beat Ryan Wharton to a bouncing ball before curling an exquisite effort into the far top corner of the net.

City needed an instant response but instead a muted performance was all they could muster and even attacking substitutions made by the management team failed to ignite new spirit into the team.

Throughout the half it was the home side that created the better openings and midfielder Sean Geddes, after having a free kick saved by Jupp, sent two shots flashing the face of the goal that just needed the slightest of touches to add to City’s problems.

Billingham also sent a shot bouncing in front of the City goal before going out for a goal kick.

City winger Henry had endured a frustratingly unproductive afternoon but from his 87th minute through ball substitute Elliot Bailey darted into the penalty area only to unceremoniously, and needlessly, upended by Nathan Bennett.

Ngoyi sent Coleman the wrong way from the resulting spot kick to claim his 12th goal in 16 games for the Saints.

St Albans immediately regained possession from the kick off but that came to nothing and the fightback fizzled out as suddenly as it began.

Indeed it was Stourbridge that went nearest to adding to the school when Chris Knight glanced on a Billingham corner only for Bennett to head wide from in front of the City goal.

After the game James Gray confirmed the Curtis Ujah’s return to the club lasted for just one game with the central defender signing for Conference South side Maidenhead United.

St Albans are back in action on Easter Monday when Hemel Hempstead Town make the short journey to Clarence Park for a Southern League fixture that has a 3pm kick off.