St Albans City's season long search for some decent home form shows little sign of success if Saturday's abysmal performance is anything to go by. Following on from the embarrassing defeat by Carshalton in their last home Ryman League fixture the Saints meekly slipped to a ninth home Premier Division reversal of the current campaign at the weekend against a rejuvenated Purfleet side.
This latest defeat leaves the Saints still looking for their first home league goal since 23 December - when an injury time goal got them out of jail against bottom dogs Dulwich - and the reversals against Enfield, Carshalton and now Purfleet were against sides which came to Clarence Park boasting combined away successes totalling just two games.
Injuries and a lack of experienced players are clearly hindering manager John Kendall's plans and the City boss will be relieved that the club has points in the bag and should be able to steer clear of an end of season battle against relegation. Certainly City's current home league form is worthy of no more than a struggle at the wrong end of the table but it is just three weeks since the Saints won in some style away to an Aldershot side previously unbeaten on home soil. The lack of success since that day has not gone unnoticed by the local citizens with Saturday's attendance being around 25% down on the corresponding fixture last season.
The afternoon began with the relative drama of the draw to find the Saints kit sponsor for the next 15 months followed by a minutes silence in memory of City supporter Steve McClannagan who passed away suddenly last week and that period of inactivity stayed with the Saints for the rest of the afternoon.
During the opening exchanges City's two best efforts saw young midfielder Danny Davis try a couple of speculative long range lobs following poor clearances by keeper Steve Mead, unfortunately neither effort located the target. Purfleet, beaten seven times during their previous eight visits to the Park, went ahead on 27 minutes with a gifted goal ironically following a rare spell when the Saints appeared to be getting on top. Fleet striker Martin Buglione slung over a corner from the visitors right which City keeper Richard Hurst fumbled as he stretched to collect which allowed Colin Simpson to score for the fourth consecutive league match and build on the four goals he notched in Purfleet's previous away match at Harrow.
City hit back immediately with their only worthwhile shot of the afternoon as David Pratt, receiving a pass from Neville Roach shot low towards the near post but Mead got down swiftly to save in comfort. The outcome was effectively decided during first half injury time when substitute Martin Carthy, on for Simpson who was carried away on a stretcher, squared the ball into the goalmouth where former Saint Kieran Adams drove the ball into the back of the York Road goal.
City withdrew Amara Simba and Pratt for the start of the second period taking the average age of the side down to just 22 with the combined appearances of those on show amounting to 243 of which 66 are credited to Mark Rooney. Given such inexperience there was little hope of the Saints avoiding a third consecutive home Premier Division defeat and other than for two headers wide by Gary Wraight and Robbie Simpson, and a Rooney free kick which bounced narrowly wide off Simpson's chest, Mead had no problems in ensuring Purfleet kept their first ever clean sheet at the Park.
Report by Dave Tavener |