Matt Hann hurdles a tackle
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So, another season of football at Clarence Park comes to an end, but, my goodness, what a way to go! Three breathtaking goals - plus the biggest fluke one is ever likely to witness - and an absorbing contest to boot as City ponder the possibility of stealing a most unlikely top half of the table finish and Hornchurch fear missing out on a promotion play-off position.
How times change; just a couple of months into the current season and one would not have got odds on either the Urchins failing to lift the Nationwide Conference South championship or St Albans City finishing anywhere other than wooden spoonists. But, one failed business and several managerial changes later, and the sides go into their respective final match of the season with just six points separating them, 'tis a funny ol’ game.
Most end of season affairs can be pretty dire viewing but this was one to savour if only for the quality of the Saints goals, but even they were upstaged in the clubhouse after the game as Colin Lippiatt made a rare lengthy visit to that emporium and gave a most entertaining speech.
Supporters of the Urchins set the tone for a party atmosphere with their fancy attire, it’s not often one sees a nun and a bishop playing with blow-up dolls. City fans are likely to follow suit next Saturday when we visit a Weymouth side currently managed by the former Saints and Urchins boss Garry Hill.
For the visit of Hornchurch, City were without the suspended Dean Hooper and Chris Wild, the latter was serving the first of a four-match ban. Hooper’s day improved later in the evening when his goal at Welling United was proclaimed the Goal of the Season (bit tough on the three in this game and Ben Walshe’s first at Thurrock). Walshe returned to the side for the Hornchurch game to play wide on the left with Chris Seeby dropping into the back four.
Hornchurch dominated for long periods prior to the interval and their football was good to see. Credit to manager Tony Choules for the way in which the Urchins played, it is far removed from what was seen during our encounters with Northwood last season when he was manager there.
But, for all of their good approach work Hornchurch could make no inroads into a City defence, which, up until the Saints made three unwise substitutions midway through the second half, was quite brilliant. The one time the Urchins looked as though they may have got through they were repelled by referee Roger Burton who booked Andy Tomlinson for diving as Ben Martin made a tackle; a penalty against City would not have come as much of a surprise. Indeed it was St Albans who opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Walshe sent a wonderfully struck low left-footed free kick from 22 yards wide of keeper Micky Desborough’s right hand and just inside the post. With four Conference South goals Walshe joins Seeby and Ram Marwa as our second highest scorer in the league this season. Kezie Ibe won the crucial free kick following a foul by Grant Cooper, Ibe’s marvellous close control was a constant thorn in the visitors side although he may have wanted to beat just one too many defenders on a number of occasions.
That goal was good enough but the second, Lee Clarke’s 15th in as many matches, probably matched Walshe’s at Thurrock for the ‘team’ Goal of the Season. A second City goal at this point had appeared unlikely as Hornchurch were dominating possession but other than for one outstanding take at a cross Paul Bastock was enjoying a peaceful afternoon between the sticks as the lively Andy Douglas and co were kept at bay. With their second goal City showed how to play a good passing game and penetrate the opposition defence at the same time. Matt Hann started the move from the middle of the City half with a pass out to Walshe who touched it inside to Clarke. The Northern Ireland U21 international returned the ball out to Walshe before taking a second return pass in the middle of the Hornchurch half, by now Clarke had decided it was time to go for goal and made light of two or three changes as he cut into the penalty area and again shot perfectly to Desborough’s right for his 33rd goal of the season in 47 appearances.
The nearest the visitors came to reducing the arrears prior to the interval was a well struck free kick by former Saint Matt Glynn that just cleared the Hatfield Road goal. The second half saw City imperious for twenty minutes as they cut Hornchurch open time and again with some of their finest football of the season. Although Hornchurch were committed to attack in an attempt to get the points required to secure a play-off place it was City who were creating all the chances. The manner in which Lippiatt’s boys broke from midfield and had players spare in wide positions on both sides of the pitch really does bode well for next season, possibly the best move ended with Seeby having his shot deflected wide. The pressure was maintained with a fine half volley from Clarke crashing into the woodwork then, following a corner, a frantic goalmouth scramble only failed to result in a goal as Desborough saved from Ibe by the foot of the post at the cost of another corner.
But Ibe was only denied for just five minutes as on 61 minutes he scored his third goal in six games from close range after Desborough had parried Hann’s crisp low angled drive. City were now in devastating mood and Hornchurch were staring down both barrels but their fortunes changed on 66 minutes when the Saints made a triple substitution which, inadvertently, took a good deal of the wind out of the City sails. Within ten minutes the Urchins substitute Chris Stowe had pulled a goal back, following a low ball into the goalmouth by Douglas, but it appeared nothing more than an irritant as within sixty seconds Hann capped his best 45 minutes for the club with the goal of his life. Tom Beech laid a pass into the path of Scott Cousins who hit a deep cross beyond the far post to Hann who thundered in the sort of volley players usually only dream of. For Desborough though it was more of a nightmare as the ball whistled across him at great pace and inside his far post for City’s fourth goal of the afternoon and Hann’s second in the league this season.
Again the wait for another goal was brief as Stowe cemented his position as the Urchins leading scorer of those players currently at the club with his seventh of the campaign after Michael Gorman had blocked an attempted clearance by Seeby. City looked to have struck for a fifth time when Beech showed some welcome aggression in shrugging off a defender and firing high into the roof of the net only to be ruled, somewhat harshly, to have committed handball. A scoreline of 5-2 would have made for a comfortable finish for the Saints but instead an anxious final three minutes of added time had to endured after Gary Elphick’s powerful clearance wide of the goal struck former Saints loan player Jamie Southon and from the most improbable – if not seemingly impossible – angle on the goalline flew over Bastock and into the far corner of the net. Fortunately the Saints survived those final minutes to justly extend their unbeaten run against the Essex club to a sixth match with Hornchurch having won just one of the last ten encounters between the two clubs.
Prior to the kick off Paul Bastock collected his second Player of the Month award and after the game Lee Clarke was presented with the Supporters Club Player of the Year trophy.
Also before the match kicked off a minute silence was held, somewhat belatedly, in memory of the playwright and former St. Albans City president Willis Hall who passed away last month.
Report by David Tavener |
