Ben Walshe
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In becoming only Eastbourne Borough’s second victims in the Nationwide South St Albans City received their starkest warning yet that they face a second successive season battling against relegation. Playing against what was probably the weakest side they have encountered in their opening eight games City not only lost for the fifth time this season but also their heads as Dean Hooper collected the Saints third red card in four games.
Hooper, the possessor of a dismal disciplinary record, certainly endured an afternoon of fluctuating fortunes. Early on he was a thorn in Eastbourne’s left hand side as he moved forward with menace down that flank, but in the closing stages of the first half he was left for dead on several occasions and then just moments before the interval conceded the crucial and match deciding penalty. With a red mist before his eyes he was a volcano waiting to erupt and ultimately 76th minute dismissal for a elbow into Simon Rowland’s face was perhaps more shameful than surprising.
St Albans certainly had the balance of the play with Ben Walshe and Lee Clarke looking particularly dangerous in the first half but once Walshe faded after the interval City, despite dominating possession, were uninspiring going forward. And, with Clarke squandering golden opportunities and Miguel De Souza anonymous, were toothless in attack. But the muscular De Souza was not the only one to sample a quiet afternoon as the midfield, which included the debut making Adam Smith, made little impact on proceedings.
Early on Walshe, Clarke and Hooper all put in good crosses that came to nothing while Eastbourne didn’t seriously trouble City until the 22nd minute when Scott Ramsay headed over. After Mel Capleton cautiously watched a Matt Crabb free kick drift just beyond the target City returned to the offensive with a stirring run down the right by Hooper past three players which ended with the Saints winning a corner that again was unproductive.
Following that high Hooper was soon on a downer as, in the 43rd minute, he fouled Crabb – who was making his 200th appearance for the Sussex club – and to compound the situation handled the ball whilst flat on the ground. Referee Bentley pointed to the spot with the laid-back Richard Harris successfully sweeping the penalty to Capleton’s right and into the goal.
City announced their intentions straight from the kick off for the second half with Adam Parker receiving a short pass and shooting from the halfway line, but for a desperate tip-over by the surprised Lee Hook the Saints would have been back on a even keel.
Although St Albans took control of the half an equaliser never appeared imminent. Indeed just two clear chances were created, the first saw substitute Matthew Hann cross for the unmarked Parker to head tamely at Hook while from the second, following a glorious ball by Chris Zoricich out to Hann, Clarke fluffed a poor effort wide from in the centre of the goal.
Clarke had other chances but had a goal disallowed when he used an arm to control Hooper’s pass and another went begging when he wanted an eternity to turn inside the penalty area. Hann, from 20 yards, forced Hook to save by the foot of the post but generally City, with a strong wind behind them, were well marshalled by Eastbourne’s busy backline.
As the ten-man Saints pushed forward in the dying moments a misjudged back-header by Richard Thomas let in Ramsay but after getting past the injured Capleton he saw his soft shot cleared by Zoricich.
Report by Dave Tavener |
