After the glory of heading the Ryman League for three months and reaching the FA Cup 1st Round, St Albans City stumbled to the lowest point of their season on Tuesday night when crashing out of the Herts Senior Cup courtesy of veteran John Richardson’s winning strike five minutes into added time.
The goal came at a time when the virtually frozen crowd had been anticipating a third City goal after the Saints had pulled back a two goal deficit and were laying siege to the home goal. But overall St Albans could have few complaints at their first defeat in the competition in open play for four years after Town had completely dominated the opening 45 minutes and it was only a virtuoso display by goalkeeper Richard Wilmot that kept Steve Cook’s side in contention.
City fielded their strongest available starting eleven but during the first half looked very much like a side that not only had gone 16 days without a game but also one which was not taking the competition too seriously. It was only after Berko struck twice in three minutes that City came to life but by then the seeds had been sewn for City to suffer their first defeat by Berkhamsted for fifty years.
Inside the opening ten minutes City received a warning of what was to come when Peter Clifford headed home a John Pedder free kick only for an offside flag to come to the Saints rescue. As the Division One Ryman League side began to dominate Wilmot came to the fore to save well from Graham Hall and then gather a Clifford header following a corner.
City took 25 minutes to win their first corner but were soon back on the defensive as Andy Mullins fired just over. Wilmot saved well in a one on one with Richardson on 34 minutes but the former Enfield and Hendon striker quickly clipped the ball back into the middle where Lee Gledhill denied Pedder on the goalline. The Saints had another let off on 39 minutes when Wilmot pushed a Richardson header onto the crossbar but deep into first half injury time it was Berkhamsted who had a narrow escape when former Saint Paul Lowe did well to get back and scoop the ball over the bar after Miguel De Souza had clipped Jon Challinor’s through ball over keeper Nick Webb.
Attacking the railway line end during the second period City found themselves two down within seven minutes of the restart. Mullins opened the scoring on 49 minutes when sliding Richardson’s long diagonal pass beyond Wilmot and three minutes later Pedder added the second when Hall’s through ball caught City square and the striker crisply drove in his first goal for three months.
Having offered virtually nothing as an attacking force for an hour City surprisingly hauled themselves back into the game in the 60th minute when Corey Campbell’s soft header from a Scott Oakes free kick bounced up and beat Webb to the keeper’s left. City’s 50th goal in 15 games against their county rivals became 51 on 66 minutes following a spell of sustained pressure. Martin won the ball and helped it onto Gary Crawshaw who slipped it onto Challinor, the midfielder’s powerful angled shot was unconvincingly parried by Webb for Martin to stroke in the equaliser from virtually on the goalline.
City maintained the pressure with a Craig Mackail-Smith header from Rob Kean’s cross going just over the target while at the opposite end Wilmot again spread himself well to thwart the free Simon Sweeney. Although City were now almost queuing up to claim the winning goal both sides had chances during the final ten minutes. Webb saved well low to his left following a good effort from Mackail-Smith but after four minutes and thirteen seconds of added time, with City pounding Webb’s goal, Berkhamsted broke away and after shrugging off young Greg Deacon, Richardson raced clear to go wide of Wilmot before guiding the ball into an unguarded goal.
The goal was harsh on Deacon who had slotted in very well during the second half but questions must be asked as to why City left their most inexperienced player to deal with the strong, experienced and still impressive Richardson.
Report by Dave Tavener |
