Whatever this match lacked quality – which was quite a lot – it made up for with a gripping finale as St Albans City spluttered their way through to the 2nd Round of the Herts Senior Cup at the expense of their closest rivals London Colney who overcame no shortage of adversity to come within a whisker of adding to the Saints mounting woes.
At two goals to the good and the match already into added time City looked to have avoided the possibility of being ‘giant cup killed’ by Micky Wright’s Blueboys before the Spartan League side struck twice with their first on target efforts of the evening to haul the tie into another 30 minutes of error strewn intrigue.
This was a match City had to win following the dismissal of manager Steve Cook earlier in the day, any other result would have been unpalatable for stand-in boss Steve Castle. Unfortunately the overall performance will have done little to boost Castle’s chances of getting the job on a more permanent basis for City were poor in the extreme.
That said, there was a bright point for City in the form of Chris Seeby who was pushed into the midfield after starting in the back four. When released into the middle of the park for the first time in the senior side – it is his favoured position - he was a revelation and capped an outstanding display by notching his first goal for the club.
To think this match would produce seven goals, six yellow cards, one red card and a player stretchered off to hospital was unimaginable at half time with the only noteworthy incident prior to the break being a long range shot by Greg Deacon which Colney keeper Phil Franklin fumbled and blocked Gary Wraight’s follow up before Nic McDonnell blazed the loose ball out of the ground.
After the break City began to push Colney back by playing the ball to feet but when the Saints resorted to their hideous use of the long ball they conceded possession easily and allowed the Blueboys to seize their moment of glory.
The goal feast began on 69 minutes when Martin Williams took a pass from Lee Gledhill but had his weaving run ended by the outstretched leg of Steve Ross, Graeme Tomlinson duly fired City ahead from the penalty spot. Three minutes later the game looked to be all over as Seeby matched Williams run before firing low to Franklin’s left. The shot lacked power but the keeper got his left foot stuck in the ground and, as the pain soared through his body, could only help fumble the ball into the goal.
Another penetrating run by Williams should have won a second penalty in the 81st minute when Marc Walsh crudely upended the winger, that plea went unanswered but referee Sean Comerford was positive when City substitute Danny Cross brought down former Saint David Ross in the penalty area. As the clocked ticked into added time Ross calmly reduced the deficit when sending Barry White the wrong way from the spot.
Chances went begging at either end through Simon Martin and David Ross before, in the sixth minute of added time, Moussa Rattab and Gary Doolan combined to set up Eamon Rogers who, having beaten the offside trap, scooped the ball over White and watched it drop into the goal despite Derek Brown’s frantic effort to clear.
Utter humiliation stared City in the face but four minutes into extra time Colney saw their hopes suffer a serious blow when Walsh was dismissed for his second bookable offence. With Seeby taking charge in midfield City at last began to look comfortable and regained the lead on 98 minutes when Tomlinson won a free kick which Jay Murray hit deep to Brown who headed it back across goal for Tomlinson to neatly nod down inside substitute goalkeeper Winston Seidu’s near post.
Certainly one could not fault Colney’s spirit, something City can learn from when the chips are down, as Frankie Jowle forced White into a save before David Ross pulled a spectacular tip over from the City custodian and Paul Jones went close with a diving header.
City, however, re-established their two goal advantage on 113 minutes with a fine goal as Williams soared past his marker down the right and crossed beyond the far post to Seeby who sent a perfectly cushioned volley inside to Martin who finished the job off from close in.
A minute later the unthinkable was again on as Dean Shuttleworth sent the offside looking Martin Farrow clear and with great aplomb the Colney striker fired crisply across White and inside his left hand post for the seventh and final goal of the night.
Report by Dave Tavener |
