Luke Cornwall
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Not the first time in recent weeks, the lethal right boot of striker Lee Clarke and safe hands of goalkeeper Paul Bastock worked in unison on Saturday to clinch another three vital points for St Albans City as Colin Lippiatt’s side continued their remarkable revival with a sixth Conference South victory in eight outings.
The Saints may still be in the thick of an absorbing relegation battle that embraces at least ten clubs but should all visiting sides adopt the same negative attitude as Frank Gregan’s Weston Super Mare team did then City will happily grind out single goal wins for the rest of the season. The Seagulls frustrated City with a stern defensive policy but justice was done as Clarke, via the penalty spot, capped a hardworking display by sweeping home the crucial match-winning penalty just after the hour.
This match will quickly fade from the memory but at least the second half provided several moments of drama to overshadow an opening 45 minutes dominated by long balls out of defence from both sides. From the St Albans perspective they always look such a better side when playing the ball on the deck and the occasions during this match when they did just that allowed them to open up the side with the second poorest away record in the Conference South.
And from Weston’s angle, the small number of supporters who travelled up from Somerset must have been disappointed to see such negative tactics from their side until staging a late attacking flurry that, but for Bastock, could have salvaged a point.
The opening exchanges were virtually devoid of goalmouth activity although some good combination work between Scott Cousins, Ben Walshe and Clarke suggested that better things were on the way. Prior to the break, visiting keeper Ryan Northmore had to contend with a couple of soft shots from Cousins but had to be more agile to smother a glancing Luke Cornwall header from a cross by Chris Zoricich who was just about the best player on the pitch.
Midway through the half Walshe seized on a poor clearance by Northmore to send Cornwall away but under pressure from two defenders the on loan striker fired wide. Weston’s best chance of the half fell to Paul Hunt as he intercepted Jon French’s misdirected shot only to have his close range effort charged down by Zoricich.
City returned to offensive with a long kick by Bastock being half cleared to Zoricich who laid the ball wide to Matt Hann, after cutting in from the right Hann unleashed an angled drive that just went beyond Northmore’s right hand upright.
The lack of goalmouth activity continued after the restart but the destiny of the points was decided on 63 minutes when Clarke, following a build up involving Hann and Ram Marwa, was sent tumbling just inside the penalty area by French to present the Saints with only their second spot kick of the season; Clarke duly sent Northmore the wrong way with the well struck ball going just inside the keeper’s left hand post.
Walshe, playing in a freer role rather than just wide on the left, began to torment the visitors defence and almost set up two goals as Hann just failed to stretch to the first cross while the second, sent over with sumptuous accuracy, was headed wide by Clarke.
With Dean Hooper pushing forward down the right City were giving the Seagulls problems down both flanks although Weston hinted at a comeback when a Bradley Thomas free kick was headed across goal to French whose powerful shot on the turn was well blocked by the diving Bastock with Thomas scuffing wide his follow up.
Weston looked to have equalised on 79 minutes when a blocked Matthew Rose shot broke to French whose rising drive appeared destined for the top corner of the City goal until Bastock, at the final moment, stretched high to his right to majestically palm the ball over.
The closing stages were littered with petty incidents all over the park and referee Simon Barrow became the busiest person on the pitch as he brandished his yellow card five times in three minutes.
Report by David Tavener |
