St Albans City slumped to a second successive Southern League defeat on Saturday when a highly impressive Stourbridge romped to a 4-2 victory at a warm Clarence Park.
Stourbridge were one of the better sides in the Premier Division last season and this time around Gary Hackett’s boys look even stronger with City grateful for getting away with just a two-goal defeat.
But just how good Stourbridge really are is difficult to tell from this game as City were a pale imitation of the side that had found its form over the previous three matches.
Having dominated at Chesham earlier in the week when playing a passing game St Albans looked a different side when back on home soil and the long-ball tactics they employed, especially during the first half, were simply meat and drink to the Glassboys towering backline.
Stourbridge not only showed that they could cope comfortably with an aerial assault but also demonstrated that they can play a quick, incisive passing game that left a lethargic City side floundering.
St Albans preparations could hardly have been worse with Danny Gordon, Gareth Risbridger and Layne Eadie all picking up injuries during the week.
Goalkeeper, and current Player of the Year, Nick Jupp, was also on the sick list with a side strain but had been expected to play and was even named on the teamsheet.
But during the warm up it was clear that Jupp was not up to the task and Nick Hardy was called in for his Southern League debut. The former Hadley keeper pulled off several exceptional saves but was also caught out through Stourbridge’s excellent dead-ball delivery.
City also almost James Gray prior to kick-off with their captain charging down the tunnel grimly squeezing his left hand after dislocating a thumb in a bizarre accident. Fortunately the thumb slipped straight back into position and the City hard-man played on with his digit tightly bandaged.
Stourbridge gave early warning of their intent with a thunderous drive from 30 yards by Drew Canavan forcing Hardy to push the ball out for a corner.
On 14 minutes Hardy got down well to push around the post a low drive from Chris Knight but from the resulting corner, swung in from the Glassboys left by Sean Geddes, Paul McCone leapt in front of Curtis Ujah to head past Hardy who was rooted to his goalline.
City took just seven minutes to pull level when a Richard Graham corner in front of the boardroom was met at the back post by Gray whose header was bound for the arms of keeper Lewis Solly until Leon Broadhurst unwittingly headed it into the roof of his own net.
That goal failed to give City the confidence to return to their passing game and it was of little surprise when the visitors restored their lead on 31 minutes.
An attack appeared to be breaking down until skipper McCone laid the ball wide to Stuart Hendrie whose first attempt at a cross was charged down by Ryan Watts, but when the ball rebounded to him Hendrie slid an exquisite pass into Broadhurst who was only too happy to, this time, put the ball into the correct net.
The outstanding Geddes wasted a free kick with a tame effort wide before City drew level for the second time on 38 minutes, ironically from a free kick conceded by Geddes for a push on Sean Shields right on the edge of the penalty area.
Watts ran over the ball and allowed Shields to shoot low into the penalty area where it may have actually clipped the foot of the leaping Geddes on its way into the corner of the net.
City were fortunate to go in on level terms at the interval but Stourbridge were in mood to let the Saints off all afternoon and forged ahead for a third time on 49 minutes, again from a set piece.
Geddes swung the ball towards the near post where McCone rose high above Chris Seeby and with a header across the static Hardy claimed his second goal of the game.
Again though City could have made a swift response when Solly and his defence got into a tangle.
Lewis Toomey nipped in but scuffed his shot wide and with it went the only opportunity he had of becoming the first City player to score in all of his first six games for the club.
Hendrie tore through the home defence on the hour but when receiving a clever back-heel from Knight drove his shot wide.
City rallied briefly with Barry Hayles forcing Solly into a good save, Shields retrieved the ball out on the right and from his cross Micah Hyde headed gently through to Solly.
Such was Stourbridge’s dominance by now that if another goal was to be forthcoming then it was unlikely to be in City’s favour.
Hardy did well to beat away to his right a clever shot from Canavan before the goalmouth resembled a pinball in a flurry of activity.
Hardy parried Geddes whipped in low cross, Watts blocked a Broadhurst shot who then was denied by an excellent Hardy save and a spooned clearance by Seeby only added to City’s problems before Hardy ended the danger when flying high to his left to palm over Geddes goal-bound shot.
The pressure was maintained with Hardy thwarting Broadhurst via his foot, Knight looked certain to hammer home the loose ball only for Ujah to dive in pull off a remarkable block at the cost of a corner.
The non-stop Geddes unleashed a wonderful spinning effort from 25 yards that dipped prodigiously over Hardy but just too late to drop under the crossbar.
City’s last real hope of staving off defeat evaporated on 75 minutes when Seeby retrieved a deep Graham corner and crashed the ball across the face of the foal but without a team-mate able to divert it in.
Five minutes later Stourbridge finally secured a thoroughly deserved win when the free Knight was denied by another good Hardy save but as no one went towards the Glassboys striker he was afford ample time in which to pick his spot from the rebound and stroke the ball into the Hatfield Road net.
City almost plundered a flattering third goal in the closing minutes when Seeby headed down a Graham cross but Gray, twisting, could only scoop his shot over the top. |